


Tangled Alliances

by Traycer



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, F/M, Love Triangle, Novel, Romance, Slavery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-20
Updated: 2011-08-20
Packaged: 2017-10-22 21:05:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 88,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/242582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Traycer/pseuds/Traycer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A standard mission goes wrong and the team finds themselves held prisoner in a slave camp, while certain conditions cause tension to flare up between Jack, Sam and Daniel.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter 21 of this story is not an official chapter. It's only a deleted scene, but posted here for anyone who may be interested. I realized after I wrote it that it would never happen no matter what, but I do enjoy the George Hammond voice in it, so I'm adding it in just for fun.
> 
> I have to thank Lynette, who pointed out a problem with this fic (I can never get Sam’s behavior right) and as always, major thanks go out to Diane, who tries to tell me what’s wrong with a chapter, and then puts up with me when I don’t go with all of her suggestions. I accept most, discard some (depending on what it is I want to convey), and flat out goof up when I do my final changes after I get the beta’d version back. As always, all mistakes are my own.

As missions go, this one started out badly. And when they start out badly, chances are things were going to go downhill from there. But for Jack O’Neill and the members of his team, bad missions seemed to be the norm lately.

Bright sunshine illuminated the landscape, almost blinding the members of SG-1 when they exited the Stargate on this particular mission. Jack had come prepared though, and he immediately put on the sunglasses that were hanging around his neck in an effort to shield his eyes. He needed to stay alert to any possible danger. It didn’t pay to let his guard down when visiting a planet - any planet.

The Stargate had deposited them in the middle of a field, with the mandatory trees in the far distance. Jack liked trees, even if he did complain about them occasionally. Trees were great for hiding behind when times got tough, and their presence meant that he wasn’t in a desert. As long as he wasn’t required to travel through sand, Jack was semi-happy. Sand and long hikes didn’t go well together, as far as he was concerned.

He continued to scan the horizon, looking for any unfriendly natives, while his team spread out to look around. Teal’c was already moving away from the Stargate, in the opposite direction Jack had taken, using his own brand of reconnaissance to help in the determination of enemy warfare – just in case there were any. The MALP had sent back pictures of an area that had just a few men walking around in the distance. They didn’t seem to be too preoccupied with the activity around the Stargate, or the MALP, so General Hammond had deemed the planet visit-worthy. Jack knew better than to rely on preliminary pictures from the MALP, though. ‘Better safe than sorry’ was a motto that he held dear to his heart during every mission he went on.

Something was up, he realized, as he tried to make sense of the inner warnings that had him on edge. This was just a general visit. SG-1 was here solely to explore and possibly to meet and greet with the natives. “Uh… Jack?” Daniel Jackson intoned, his voice laced with a warning that Jack heard loud and clear and had adrenalin pumping through his veins. So much for safe, he thought. He immediately gripped his weapon tighter, as he turned to see what Daniel was looking at.

A group of men were heading their way, their weapons raised and aimed toward Jack and his team. Jack briefly considered yelling for his team to take cover, but realized the futility of it when all that was available to hide behind was the MALP, DHD and the Stargate. It didn’t help matters any when he saw what looked like an army of soldiers marching toward them from the trees.

Wonderful, he thought snidely, as he tried to come up with a viable, working strategy to escape.

“Lower your weapons,” one of the men closest to them snarled. Jack stared at the man, still working on possible scenarios. He knew that his team would be waiting for him to let them know whether to lower their weapons or to start shooting, but he couldn’t come up with anything to ensure their survival. He reluctantly loosened his gun from the harness and made to slowly put it down on the ground. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Major Samantha Carter, his second in command, do the same with her gun, but he didn’t relax. He stood there, tense and alert, ready for any opportunity to escape.

These guys were good, he realized, as the leader nodded at a few of his companions who then came over to them to force them to their knees. Jack went down willingly, having been the recipient of a staff weapon jab to the back of his knees way too many times. He was still on the alert, but given his current condition, his outlook didn’t fare too well. Someone grabbed his arms from behind and quickly tied his hands behind his back and Jack didn’t try to hide the grimace as the rope was pulled tightly. Carter grunted in pain when it was her turn, but Jack didn’t take his eyes off of the leader. He was determined to find a way out of this mess, and he figured the leader was the best person to try to get through to.

Luck wasn’t with him today, as all four of them were suddenly pulled up by their arms and dragged off toward the trees. They were surrounded, some in front, some in back with even more walking along side them and Jack knew he was not going to be able to make an escape with these people dogging his every step. He glared at the leader’s back, all the while cursing under his breath. Some missions just were not meant to be taken on.

Once they had reached the trees, half of the men left them and Jack couldn’t help but be surprised. The surprise lasted only a few minutes, as a fenced in compound came into view, and he understood why they felt they could leave the visitors with fewer guards. They had made it to their destination.

Jack watched everything the guards did, hoping to find a weakness – everything from the poking and prodding to get him and the others to keep moving, to the locking of the gate once the entourage had walked through. He even scouted out the compound, although the first cursory glance didn’t help too much in working out an escape plan.

He glanced over at Daniel, who was taking in the sights with a great deal of interest. The buildings, people, even the carvings fascinated the archeologist and Jack wished his hands were free so that he could smack his friend in the head. Hello! He wanted to say. We’re in trouble here.

Carter walked alongside him, looking at the people with interest, as well. Unlike Daniel, Carter’s interest was purely for strategic reasons, and more than likely for curiosity’s sake. Knowing her, she was probably looking at their situation from a scientific standpoint, as well as looking for any technical gadgets that just may get her out of this mess.

Teal’c, on the other hand, just stared at the leader’s back. Jack knew the reason why Teal’c didn’t spend too much time noticing the others around him. They wouldn’t be able to help him in serving his purpose. He, like Jack, was looking for a way out, and the people, who appeared to be servants, wouldn’t be any help, judging by the defeat in their eyes.

Jack and his team were taken to a large building, and shepherded up the stone stairs to the entrance. Once there, they had to stop for the guards to go through a ritual that required them each to pass a hand over their face and down to their chest before they allowed themselves to enter the building. Jack couldn’t help the smirk that graced his features when he saw Daniel goggling at this display of respect. If he knew Daniel, he was already running through the catalog of cultural customs that he somehow had stored in his brain, cross referencing what he had seen with the multitude of cultures he had come in contact with. The   
wealth of knowledge Daniel carried around in his mind was a constant source of amazement for Jack.

The guards finally led them into a large room where a man sat in a huge chair, surrounded by servants. It reminded Jack of some movie he’d seen, where the lord of whatever lounged on a chaise while a dozen servants stayed within arms length to do his bidding on a moment’s notice. He glanced over at Carter, rolling his eyes, as if to say, here we go again, causing her to grin at him before turning to give this wannabe lord her full attention.

“Why are they on their feet?” the lord of whatever demanded, his voice booming over the entire room. Jack wasn’t surprised by this fact. The guy was huge. A booming voice just seemed to fit, somehow. The man stood up as he spoke and Jack stared at him warily, impressed that someone that big could actually move at all, but then found himself on his knees again, when one of the men behind him prompted him with a jab of his weapon. He glared at the guard, before grousing, “All you had to do was ask.”

“Silence!” Big Guy boomed out. He came over to them, stopping to study each one of them, while paying particular attention to Carter. “This one may be useful in the breeding tent,” he told the leader of the guards. Carter tensed up at that remark, looking for all the world as if she was going to let the bastard have it, but was stopped when Big Guy grabbed her by the hair and jerked her head up toward him. “Yes,” he said tersely. “You will produce spirited children.”

“No!” Carter spit out, and Jack waited for the customary slap to the face for her impudence. He was not disappointed, and he growled when the slap knocked her into his side.

“Do not attempt it,” Big Guy warned him. Jack listened to the warning, knowing he would pay dearly if he retaliated. He glared at the bastard instead, waiting patiently for his chance to kick his ass.

Big Guy obviously wasn’t worried about Jack’s plans, because he then came up to him and jerked his head up by grabbing his hair, and stared thoughtfully into his face. Jack continued to glare, while waiting for his sentence, and found it was his turn to become indignant when Big Guy informed his guards, “This one is too old. He will be assigned to the barracks.”

“Excuse me?” he just had to say. “Just what do you mean by too old? I’ll have you know…”

“Silence!” the voice boomed out again, causing half of the servants to scurry away from the immediate vicinity. Big Guy didn’t seem to be concerned with his servants, as he had two more people to pass judgment on. He moved on to Teal’c next, and seeing that he didn’t have any hair to grab on to, he stood there and tried to see Teal’c’s face from his vantage point. Teal’c wasn’t about to cooperate though, and continued to stare straight ahead, making it hard for Big Guy to take a good look.

Apparently, Big Guy didn’t need to see too much, as he announced, “This one is not human. He is not fit for anything but hard work. He will be assigned to the barracks.” Except for a slight rise of an eyebrow, this news didn’t faze Teal’c in the least.

“At least I’ll have someone to talk to,” Jack grumbled sarcastically, before receiving a sharp rap to the back of his head from one of the guards behind him.

“You will remain silent,” a voice behind him said. Jack didn’t bother trying to look to see who had hit him. Big Guy had already moved on to Daniel.

He did the hair-grabbing thing, jerking Daniel’s head up, causing Daniel to yelp in pain. Big Guy didn’t even blink. He stared at Daniel for a moment, then said, “This one will be the provider to the woman,” he proclaimed, with a jerk of his head toward Carter. “You will breed with her and give her several strong children.”

“What?” Carter spouted off, unable to keep quiet on the subject any longer.

“Uh… wha…” Daniel sputtered, looking at Carter with a worried expression.

“Over my dead body!” Jack snarled, voicing his feelings on that subject.

“Silence!” the voice boomed out once again. “I will not tolerate this behavior any longer.” He stared out at the members of SG-1, his anger causing veins to pop out on his neck, and Jack silently hoped the man would have a heart attack on the spot. It would be just deserts, he thought grimly.

“I’m sorry, sir,” Carter spoke up respectfully, “But you see, I can’t be a part of this ‘breeding’… project. I…”

It was Carter’s turn to receive a rap on the back of the head, and she cried out in pain. “You were warned,” growled a voice behind them and Jack turned to put a face to that voice. That son of a bitch was next on his list.

But he didn’t get the chance. His head was jerked back by Big Guy, who had grabbed him by the hair again. “I am Lord Reymes,” he announced, causing Jack to smirk. He had apparently hit the target with his first assessment of the man, in terms of being a ‘wannabe’. “You will abide by the rules,” Reymes intoned, his voice carrying throughout the room. “You are now my slaves and will do as you are told at all times. You will work at the assigned tasks, and you two,” he said, pointing first at Carter, then at Daniel, “will be required to procreate each night until a child is conceived.” Daniel gave a small strangled sound at that bit of news, which was ignored by Reymes, as he continued, “Failure to perform your duties or to produce a child will be dealt with in the form of punishments.” Jack tried hard not to think of Daniel and Carter doing what was expected of them. He couldn’t bear the thought of the woman he had come to feel deeply for sleeping with his best friend. Jack remembered all too well the passion Carter possessed, having been on the receiving end of it when they thought their names were Jonah and Thera. It didn’t bear thinking about her sharing that passion with Daniel.

Reymes just kept on with his ‘rules’. “If you miss a meal, you go hungry until the next one comes along. There will no be exceptions…”

“Yada, yada, yada,” Jack said, voicing his thoughts out loud. He realized his mistake the moment the words came out of his mouth, and he groaned inwardly when the room became deadly silent.

“Perhaps we will make an example of you,” Reymes decided. Oh crap, Jack thought. He so hoped this guy’s version of an example was a slap on the wrist.

Somehow, he didn’t think so.

“Uh… I was just… I apologize if I’ve upset you,” Jack groveled, deciding at the last second it would be in his best interest to do so.

“You apologize,” Reymes said, seeming to be in awe at the uniqueness of those words. I am in so much trouble, Jack thought with a trace of panic. He knew from experience what horrors aliens could think up. Jack could only hope it wouldn’t be too painful.

“Do you know how many times my slaves have said that to me?” Reymes said in a conversational tone. Jack just stared at him. “Many, many times.” He laughed then, and all four members of SG-1 ended up staring at each other when everyone else in the room laughed with him. It was a forced laugh for them all, but being good little slaves and guards, they knew exactly what to do to stay alive. What was even stranger, they all stopped laughing the minute their lord did.

“Show them to their quarters, then put them to work,” Reymes said, as he walked back to his throne. He sat down on it before pointing at Jack, and saying, “See that this one is punished for his impudence.”

“Yes, my Lord,” came a chorus from the guards.


	2. Chapter 2

Sam Carter sat on the bed that she and Daniel were issued, worrying about what she was expected to do, as well as the welfare of her commanding officer. Once they had left the meeting with Lord Reymes, they had been taken to a set of cells just outside of the building, then were forced into separate cells before the binds were cut from their wrists. They were then ordered to strip down to their underwear and to put on the standard clothes that were issued to all the slaves. Sam could still feet the heat of her face as she changed clothes in clear view of anyone who was interested.

Once they were properly clothed and totally vulnerable to the guards, they were released from the cells and shown to their quarters. Teal’c and the Colonel would be sleeping in a long building that contained two rows of beds, and were designated for those who were not ‘quality’ material for the lord of this place. These people included men and women who were deemed too old for anything other than working at the tasks assigned, and the women who, for whatever reason, could not bear a child. The people in the barracks were treated less than those who were considered breeders, they were told, and Sam felt bad that Colonel O’Neill and Teal’c were among them.

She and Daniel would be sleeping in a huge tent, made up of a heavy tarp secured around a wooden platform that doubled as a floor. There were several beds lined up on both sides of the tent, and they were told that they would be sharing the tent with many other couples. This did not sit well with Sam at all. Not only was she expected to ‘perform’, she was expected to do so in front of an audience. That was just wrong on so many levels, she lost count.

The Colonel gave Sam a cursory glance when he came to the same realization that Sam came to. He had been quiet throughout the tour, and became tense and guarded when they entered the tent. She tried to make a joke out of it, but he just walked out the door, totally ignoring her. She couldn’t help but wonder what his thoughts were on this whole scenario, although she had a pretty good idea. She and the Colonel had a romantic past and a possible future together, and now she was being forced to sleep with his best friend.

Yep, she had a fairly good idea of what was going through her commanding officer’s mind at that moment.

They were then taken to an area where Colonel O’Neill’s punishment was to be carried out. It turned out they were going to whip him into submission. Sam highly doubted that the Colonel would submit to anything, but she kept her silence as she watched them take off the shirt he had just put on and string him up to a crossbeam next to the main building, then proceeded to beat the hell out of him. Sam tried not to hear his hoarse yells when the beating became too much to bear, but instead, stood there silently, determined not to give them the satisfaction of knowing their efforts were effective.

He was now safe and sound in his assigned bed, with Teal’c watching over him, while Sam and Daniel sat in awkward silence trying to come up with something to get them out of this. “Do you want to end up like your friend?” one of the guards asked her, when she tried to reason her way out of her duties. Sam had to admit that she definitely did not want to go through that. She ended up sitting on the bed, while Daniel paced, dreading the time when the others would join them. Sam almost wished that the guards would have put them to work, as Reymes had ordered. She didn’t know why they hadn’t; she just followed them when they demanded that she do so.

“It may not be so bad, Sam,” Daniel said, as he came up to sit on the bed next to her. “We’ll just muddle our way through it and move on.”

Sam nodded with a tight smile pasted on her face. She had never thought of Daniel in that way, and now she was expected to just get it on with her best friend? The thought simply boggled the mind. Daniel was a friend, one she loved like a brother. How was she going to be able to face him after this?

“It’ll be okay,” he soothed. Sam wanted more than anything to believe him, but she knew better. Now if it was the Colonel she had to bed down with - that would be a different story. It’s not like it would be the first time, she thought, as she remembered the few times she had found some private moments with him when he was called Jonah. They had to resort to completely isolating their feelings when their memories returned and they realized who they really were. They just gave up on any thoughts of staying together due to their working relationship. Any relationship, other than professional, had been put on hold indefinitely once they’d left that ice planet, but Sam knew her heart could be heated back up in a millisecond with just one look from her commanding officer.

But Sam was now being forced to sleep with Daniel, and judging by the Colonel’s reaction, making love to Daniel could very well be the final blow to a future relationship with Jack O’Neill. She cared deeply for Jack, and now she was on the verge of losing him, all because of a fat jerk that harbored a god complex.

The injustice of this whole thing had her nerves on edge and she jumped when a bell rang outside the tent. As far as distractions went, this was something she needed. She and Daniel both got up to go see what was going on, only to find that all the servants were heading for another building. “It’s meal time,” the guard who sat with them announced.

“Ten to one it’s gruel,” Daniel predicted, causing Sam to grin at her friend. They had been down this road way too often for her liking. They followed the guard out the door and toward the building, only to be stopped by a man, who grabbed her by the chin and tilted her head up for a better look. Daniel took offense at the way she was treated, and pushed at the man to force him back. The man stood back, glaring at Daniel, who glared back, before saying, “She’s mine.”

Sam would normally have taken him to task for that statement, but considering the circumstances, decided she would forgive Daniel this time. The man stepped back after a moment’s hesitation and let them pass and Sam grabbed Daniel by the arm to pull him away to safety.

“Whew,” Daniel said, as he grinned at Sam. “It’s a good thing you stopped me back there. I would have had to beat the crap out of him.” Sam grinned back at her friend. Although she knew he was kidding, he still would have given it his all.

She and Daniel joined the line as they waited their turn to fill their bowls. Sam didn’t see Colonel O’Neill or Teal’c, knowing that the Colonel probably wasn’t up to walking around just yet. She worried about him all the more, as she remembered the rule that there would be no exceptions for missed meals. Both of her companions were going to need to keep up their strength and Sam briefly wondered if there would be some way she could sneak some food over to them. The stern look on the guard’s face deterred her from that thought.

They ate their meal in silence; both worried about what was in store for them. The others gave them sly looks, which Sam and Daniel both studiously tried to ignore. They had been in situations such as this before, and they both knew the drill. Stay out of trouble and keep your nose clean. Daniel had to learn this the hard way over the years, but it was a lesson well learned, and Sam was grateful that he was much wiser in the situations they found themselves in.

The meal ended all too soon, and they dutifully trudged after the other couples who would be sharing the tent with them. Sam had hoped to make a visit to see how her commanding officer was doing, but the guard that had followed them around all day made sure to set her straight. She was to head directly to her bed and stay there until she was allowed to get up.

She glared at the guard, who rewarded her with a slap. Daniel tried to come to her rescue, but she held him off. “No use both of us getting hurt,” she mumbled to him. Daniel grudgingly backed off, but moved closer to her, possibly to let the guard know that stuff wouldn’t be tolerated. Sam grimaced at that thought. They were slaves. Their rights amounted to zero in the guard’s eyes.

The tent was full of people by the time Sam and Daniel got there, and panic rose in Sam’s heart as she realized that this was it. It was show time. She and Daniel stood by the door as they watched the other couples get into their beds, and Sam closed her eyes at the sudden anxiety attack racing through her. She opened them to find Daniel staring at her, waiting for her to gather her courage and she smiled at him to let him know that she was going to be okay.

He sat down on the bed they were issued to pull off his boots and Sam did the same, determined to face this like a trooper. It won’t be so bad, she thought, as she slid a sidelong glance at her future lover. He was handsome enough. All she had to do was get past the thought that he was a friend, and she could possibly make this happen.

The lights dimmed and they both lay down on the bed, fully clothed. Daniel slid under the blanket to get more comfortable and Sam decided to just get it over with. She got in beside him, moving up close to lay her head on his shoulder. They lay there for a few minutes, trying not to listen to the sounds from the other couples, and they both jumped when a voice spoke up next to Daniel’s ear, “She will be beaten within an inch of her life, if you do not do what is expected of you.”

“Jesus,” Daniel swore softly. Sam could totally relate, her heart was beating as fast as Daniel’s was from the scare she received. Her heart took off even faster when Daniel moved to hover over her, his mouth inches from hers. “Let’s just do this,” he whispered, as he lowered his head and placed his lips on hers. The kiss was soft and light, teasing her with the sweetness of it. She kissed him back tentatively, trying to chase away the awkward feelings that were racing through her. Daniel took this as a positive sign and deepened the kiss, while tracing her lips with his tongue. She opened her mouth to let him in, and Daniel didn’t hesitate. His tongue dove in with intensity, while his hands roamed over her body, causing pleasure wherever he touched. She arched her back, needing more of what he was giving her, but Daniel pulled back to look into her eyes. “Daniel,” she whispered, wanting him to know it was okay.

He stared at her for a few seconds longer, then whispered back, “It’s me.” She smiled at him, and reached up to bring his head back down for another kiss. The awkwardness had melted away and Sam sighed when Daniel reached down to grab the hem of her shirt and slid his hands underneath it. His hands were warm as they slid across her skin and Sam found herself letting go of her inhibitions as she allowed him free rein. His mouth left hers and moved down to nuzzle her neck, while Sam squirmed under his assault.

All thoughts of an audience left her when Daniel slid the palm of one of his hands down over her stomach, and under the waistband of her pants. She moaned as she arched into him, and he brought his mouth back up to kiss her deeply, taking in all her moans and the words that she couldn’t seem to hold back. He broke off the kiss to look into her face, smiling at her sadly, before taking complete control over the situation.

He rolled off of her and pulled her closer to him when he was finished. They lay there in the aftermath, trying to calm their breathing and their emotions. Sam just lay there with her head on his chest, feeling his heart beating fast and steady under her cheek. Neither one spoke, they just lay there wondering where to go from here.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Colonel O’Neill and Teal’c both showed up at breakfast the next morning. Sam could see that the Colonel was stiff, but he was stubbornly refusing to admit to it, or to let it slow him down. He stood in line behind her, steadfastly ignoring her when she greeted him, and she worried as she wondered what he was thinking. Was he being cantankerous because of his pain or because of her actions with Daniel?

Breakfast was a silent affair for the members of SG-1. No one had anything to say, and Sam hated it. She sat through it though, hoping that someone would break the ice, too afraid of a confrontation with Colonel O’Neill to do it herself.

She had let him down, but she really didn’t have a choice. It was either make love to Daniel or face a beating. Sam was honest enough with herself to know that she wouldn’t have done anything different under the same circumstances if it was the Colonel who had forced her to choose between him or Daniel. Besides, it wasn’t like there was anything between her and Colonel O’Neill, given the regulations they were both bound to follow.

She fumed about the injustice of this whole mess, while in the back of her mind she worried about another little secret she was keeping from her teammates. She had meant to tell Daniel about it after their little tryst, but she didn’t want to do it until the guards had left, and by that time, Daniel had fallen asleep. She couldn’t tell her friends while there were others nearby, but she had to tell them before their captors found out. The guards played for keeps, and Sam was determined to beat them at their own game.

Of course, there was always the possibility that she and her teammates would find a way out before she suffered from the fallout when her secret became common knowledge. She had to believe in this. The alternative was not something she even wanted to think about.

“We have to escape from here,” she whispered, causing three heads to rise up to look at her. “We have to do it soon.”

“We will,” Colonel O’Neill snarled quietly, “As soon as we can figure out how to do it.”

“We could try to make a run for it,” Sam insisted urgently, trying to ignore his attitude.

“Do you have a plan?” the Colonel asked, his anger still apparent in his features. At least he isn’t trying to hide it, Sam thought with a little relief. He was dangerous when she couldn’t read his thoughts.

“No sir,” she replied, “But there has to be a way past those guards.”

The Colonel just stared at her, anger slipping behind the façade he wore when he wanted to hide his feelings. Oh great, she thought. Now what? “Until we have a plan, we are not going anywhere,” he told her, before going back to his meal.

“Yes sir,” she said quietly. He looked back up at her with his blank expression, and Sam just wanted to scream in frustration. Instead, she scooped up a glob of gruel and grimaced before putting it into her mouth. It tasted the same as she remembered from all the other planets where she had been forced to eat it, but Sam still ate what was in her bowl anyway. She was determined to keep up her strength.

Breakfast was interrupted by crying and shouts as a woman was dragged through the building and out the door. Several other guards came through the dining area and forced everyone outside, and Sam realized with horror that they were being led over to where the Colonel had faced his punishment. The woman’s shirt was taken off and she was in the process of being tied to the same crossbeam. “Oh God,” Sam said, as she realized what was happening.

Daniel seemed to need confirmation. “What’s going on?” he asked a woman who was standing next to him.

She looked at him askance for a moment, then realizing he was new, went on to explain, “She is a breeder who began her flow this morning. She is being punished for not producing a child.”

“Where’s her provider?” Daniel asked, as he looked around.

“It is the woman’s fault,” another woman snarled. Sam turned to stare at her, wondering if she was serious. Judging by the angry look on her face, she was. “They never blame the men.”

Sam’s eyes grew wide with horror as her teammates looked at her helplessly. This news brought an urgency to their escape plans, as far as Sam was concerned, but she was unsure what to do when the Colonel turned his back on her to watch the woman’s punishment.

Anything was better than nothing, she thought, as she stepped up next to him, grabbed his arm, and said, “Colonel, we have to leave as soon as possible.” He turned to look at her face for a second, then stared pointedly at her hand on his arm. She let go as if she had been burned. It was apparent that he didn’t even want her to touch him. She now knew with a certainty that he was pissed about her involvement with Daniel, but she had to do something. She didn’t want to end up like that woman.

The screams were horrible. Sam stood there next to her commanding officer, refusing to let him or anyone else know that it bothered her. She was destined to end up on that crossbeam and that thought terrified her, but she would be damned if she’d beg. Get a grip, Carter, she thought angrily. We’re going to escape soon.

The woman had passed out by the time the guards released her binds, and Sam watched as several other women and a man rushed over to do what they could for her. Sam watched for a few minutes, wondering if she would be screaming just as badly when it was her turn. She watched them until Daniel pulled on her arm to force her to follow him. The other slaves were rounded up, and Sam followed one of the guards when he barked at her to do so, only to find herself working in the kitchens. She didn’t know where her teammates ended up, and at the moment Sam really didn’t care.

She was put to work washing the bowls from the morning meal, and she grumbled the whole time. But that didn’t even compare to what she had to do when the dishes were done. The floors needed to be scrubbed and Sam found herself on her hands and knees with two other women scrubbing a floor that would never look like it was clean. The guard who was assigned the task of making sure the women didn’t slack up on the scrubbing took intense delight in hitting Sam with his stick every time she tried to stretch the kinks out of her back.

By the time she was allowed to stop several hours later, she was grumpy and in pain, and one look at her face had one of the other women breaking down in tears. This earned her another rap from the stick and Sam bit her tongue to keep from snapping at her tormentor. No use forcing the issue, when she knew she couldn’t win.

She was then forced to help with the cooking of Lord Reymes’s meal. Sam couldn’t believe all the food that guy insisted on having. She sat at a table, squirming to try and ease the pain in her back, as she peeled what seemed like a hundred potatoes, while wondering what would happen to her if she slipped in some arsenic in the bastard’s food.

She smiled grimly as she worked. Peeling the potatoes kept her hands busy, while she allowed herself the luxury of plotting ways to destroy Lord Reymes. Poisoning his food was only one of the thoughts her devious mind had come up with. That guy had suffered many slow and torturous deaths by the time she was done with him.


	3. Chapter 3

This crap really sucks, Jack thought, as he stared at the gathering of children he had been assigned to watch over. He had been reduced to babysitting, and the injustice of the whole issue had him glaring at anyone who even looked at him. The children were supposed to be weeding a patch of grass in the yard, but Jack couldn’t even imagine how a two year old was supposed to know the difference between a weed and a blade of grass. Not to mention why it was important to do so in the first place. He just went through the motions, sighing heavily when a little girl started to cry after an older child pushed her down.

Babysitting, he thought, with a great deal of indignity.

It could be worse, he supposed. He should be glad that he wasn’t working with Teal’c, who was moving huge rocks from one side of a road to the other. There was no rhyme or reason for the transfer of the rocks, as far as Jack could figure out, but he did learn a valuable lesson when he asked a guard about it. Never ask the guards anything. They carried the stout and heavy sticks around for a reason. He had a nasty bruise on his arm to attest to that.

He went over to separate the two children, wincing as he bent over to drag the girl off of the older child. The beating he had endured the day before left quite a few cuts on his back, and he knew his shirt was probably bloody from opening up the still fresh wounds whenever he had to stretch the muscles in his back. This was part of the reason he was babysitting, instead of working with Teal’c. The guards didn’t think the “old” man would be able to keep up.

This thought had him grumbling quietly to himself. He wasn’t that old. And he was definitely not ready to be put out to pasture yet. But to these people, anyone older than 40, was considered to be dried up and spindly. The grey in Jack’s hair was probably that fat bastard’s first clue.

He held the little girl off at arms length, keeping her away from the other child. She was a spitfire, Jack thought, as she glared at her tormentor. She reminded him of Carter, who was just as efficient at beating up on someone who was bigger and older than she was. He grinned at the child, as he wiped her tears, then told them both to keep working, or they would all feel the brunt of the guard’s wrath. He didn’t need to tell the children twice. They knew better than he did the consequences they would face.

Jack continued to watch over the children as he got back down on his knees to help pull up the blades of grass – or weeds, depending on who was watching, his back protesting once again. He had to admit that he wasn’t sure if he knew the difference either, but he pulled, and hoped he was pulling the right ones, while his thoughts went back to dwelling on his current predicament.

His back was on fire, flaring up with each movement, but that didn’t even compare to the pain in his heart. She had gone through with it! He still couldn’t believe that Carter had slept with his best friend, even though he knew they didn’t have a choice. He tried to block out the thoughts and images his mind was conjuring up, but they swirled around in his head, making him dizzy and nauseous.

Another child started to cry, helping Jack to push the images of Sam in the throes of passion out of his head. He was grateful for the respite, but one of the other adult helpers went over to comfort the child. Jack briefly wondered what that woman did to be saddled with this job, then figured she was probably happy to be babysitting. It was a fairly easy job, when he thought of it.

Carter’s face came into focus again, as he tugged on a particularly stubborn weed. He loved her. The few times he and Carter had found privacy when they were held prisoner on the ice planet, had driven that emotion home. He loved her, and he had to give her up when his memory came back, driving a nail through his heart when she’d called him Sir. They had both come to the same conclusion in Brenna’s office, silently saying good-bye to their love affair, as they stood there staring at each other. “Sir,” she had said, and he couldn’t help repeating it at the time when he’d realized exactly what it meant.

He remembered the sadness and the pain, wishing things could have been different. But they had made that silent agreement, and they had stuck to it, neither one willing to destroy the other. Saving the planet from the Goa’uld was what was important, at least to the military mindset they shared, and Jack had let her go.

He ripped a weed angrily from the dirt at the thought of what Carter and Daniel had done. Daniel was with her now, albeit very reluctantly, but it still rankled that his ex-lover and his best friend were now together. He was still amazed that he was able to face them without killing Daniel at breakfast that morning. Not to mention Carter having the nerve to ask him for help. God! He was getting pissed all over again just thinking about it.

He pulled up another weed, looking up to see two little children staring at him with wide, frightened eyes. He was scaring them with the anger that was coming off him in waves. Could he get any lower, he wondered? Now he was reduced to scaring babies.

This was not good. He made a valiant effort to calm down and he grinned at them, before making a face, and one of them actually braved a smile. Jack’s smile grew wider, and he ignored the pain in his back to reach over and tickle the other one. Relief flowed through Jack when both children giggled. He was not going to be thought of as a monster to the kids if he could help it.

He kept the smile on his face as he nodded at them, then told them, “Keep pulling the weeds. We don’t want Mr. Nasty over there to come and hurt us.” Both children immediately went to work, and Jack grinned at that. The children in this compound had to be the most well behaved kids he had ever seen.

The rest of the day passed by in a similar pattern, with several guards walking amongst them as Jack and the other two adults pacified the children’s squabbles. One little boy, in particular, had decided that Jack was his surrogate parent, because he stuck to Jack’s side all afternoon. The child never uttered a word, and wouldn’t budge no matter how loud Jack got in trying to get him to stay with the other children. He finally got away when the children were fed their evening meal and put to bed. New guards and a few women came in at that point to make sure the children stayed in their beds, and Jack and his companions were allowed to join the other adults for their evening meal.

He found Teal’c and Daniel standing in line and he went to join them, greeting them with a nod, while wondering where Carter was hiding out. He didn’t have to wonder for too long, as she came up to them a few seconds after he did.

“Hi,” she said tiredly.

“Hey Sam,” Daniel responded, making Jack’s skin crawl. Don’t do it, O’Neill, Jack demanded silently. He had been seriously considering punching Daniel out.

“Major Carter,” Teal’c intoned, his dark eyes watching her warily.

“I’m fine, Teal’c,” Carter told him, knowing exactly what Teal’c had been thinking. “I’m just a little tired. They had me scrubbing the floor on my hands and knees for hours.” She tried to grin at them as she said that, but Jack saw past the smile. She was exhausted.

“How’s your back, Colonel?” she asked, with a wary look on her face.

“Peachy,” he replied. It’s not her fault; he tried to reason with himself, they didn’t have a choice. His thoughts didn’t seem to help as anger simmered in his mind, but he still continued to try to talk himself out of killing somebody.

“You didn’t overdo it, did you?” she asked, still trying to get through to him.

You can do this Jack, he thought to himself. Be nice to her. “No,” he said, no trace of anger showing through, or at least he didn’t think he heard it. “I was given the cushy job of babysitting.”

“Babysitting?” Daniel asked, as he moved forward in the line. “Why does he always get the easy jobs?” he asked no one in particular.

“I’m an old man, remember?” Jack told him. “It’s not like you have too much to complain about seeing who it is you’re sleeping with.” Daniel’s face lost all color, while Jack stood there mentally kicking himself. He didn’t even dare turn to see Carter’s reaction. So much for playing it cool, he thought.

“How dare you?” Carter hissed from behind him. “You have no right…”

“Forget I said anything,” Jack butt in, hoping to forestall her temper tantrum. This was not the place for it.

“Just like that,” she said, apparently too angry to see that it was her commanding officer she was getting ready to ream out. “You dare stand there and…”

“Major!” Jack growled at her, hoping that the use of her rank would reach through her anger. She stopped immediately and glared at him, relying on every ounce of willpower she possessed to keep from slapping him down.

“Yes sir,” she finally said, anger still blazing in her eyes.

Jack could only hope that she would be able to calm down before she attracted the attention of the others. “Look, I’m sorry,” he said, hoping he would be able to convince them of his sincerity. “What I said was totally out of line, and I apologize. I just get a little cranky after a long day with a bunch of crying kids who have absolutely no idea which end of a weed to pull.”

Daniel nodded angrily, trying his best to push back the hurt, while Carter grabbed a bowl, steadfastly refusing to look at him. Jack grabbed a bowl for himself, moving up to fill in the space between Daniel and himself. Carter followed dutifully, and Jack wondered if she would ever forgive him.

They followed the line silently, each lost in their own thoughts. Teal’c found a place for them to sit once he had filled his bowl, glaring at a few people to get them to move so that his friends could sit with him. A small smile made its way to Jack’s face when he saw that. Teal’c came in handy at times like this.

He ate the food he was given, while trying to think of something to say that wouldn’t have his team jumping down his throat. “We need to come up with a plan to get out of this place,” he said quietly. The others nodded in agreement, but didn’t respond, which caused Jack to keep trying. “Any ideas?”

“The Stargate is our only option at this point,” Carter said stiffly, having dug out the professionalism she kept handy for times like this. “We need to find a way past the guards to reach it.”

“This place is chock full of guards,” Jack pointed out. “We’re going to have to figure out when’s the best time to make our escape.”

“From what I have been able to determine,” Teal’c said just as quietly, “The guards change over just before each meal. The departing guards appear to be too occupied with taking their leave, while the incoming guards are busy conversing with them, possibly to determine which slave has misbehaved.”

Jack could only grin at Teal’c, not the least bit surprised that he had been way ahead of all of them. He didn’t respond though, as one of the guards chose that moment to walk past them. He waited until the guard had moved on before saying, “We’ll use that against them. When the time comes, of course.”

“They’ve been keeping a close watch on the Stargate also,” Daniel finally spoke up. He barely looked up from his bowl, while he spoke, and Jack’s guilt kept on building up inside him. “I was digging up vegetables in the garden alongside the fence,” Daniel continued, “And I was able to see the Stargate from there. This whole place is surrounded by guards.”

“We’ll just have to watch everything they do,” Jack told his team. “I want to know their every move. We need to find any weaknesses, anything that will give us the upper hand.”

“So far, all I’ve been able to determine is that Lord Reymes likes to eat,” Carter said, apparently trying to salvage whatever was left between them.

“Is he Goa’uld?” Jack asked, as he looked back over at her. Despite his anger, he couldn’t help but be worried about her. She was looking a little peaked.

“No sir,” she replied, with a shake of her head. “I didn’t sense anything.”

“Well, that’s good news, at least,” Jack felt compelled to say. He really didn’t care much for the snakeheads.

Silence reigned among them, as they ate their meal. No one seemed to have anything else to say, and it was hard to talk about escaping when the guards kept walking past. Jack had been trying to come up with an escape plan when Daniel spoke up.

“Jack,” he said, his expression unreadable. “We need to talk about this.”

“About what?” Jack asked in confusion. “I’ve been thinking about an escape plan. Honest.”

“About Sam and I,” Daniel replied, not even cracking a smile at Jack’s attempt to lighten the mood.

“There’s nothing to talk about, Daniel,” Jack told him. Anger was moving back in and Jack made a huge effort to contain it.

“Yes there is,” Daniel insisted. Carter had a worried look on her face, but she didn’t say a thing. “I know that there is a thing between you two…”

“A ‘thing’?” Jack asked dangerously. His blood was beginning to boil, but Daniel was apparently too stupid to see it.

“Yes Jack. A thing,” Daniel insisted, his own expression now showing his anger, although Jack could see he was trying to hold it back. “Everyone knew about it...”

“Everyone?” Jack growled. His vocabulary was diminishing with his anger, but Jack didn’t even care. He was too busy fighting off the impulse to beat Daniel into a bloody pulp.

“I don’t know how you both were able to hide it after we returned from the ice planet,” Daniel went on to say, as if Jack hadn’t interrupted him, “But we all knew that you two were an item. If we wanted to find Jonah, all we had to do was look for Thera.” Jack was beyond words by this time, he just sat there glaring at Daniel, who took Jack’s silence as permission to continue.

“You guys hid it very well after we got out of that place, but I know you must still feel something for her.” He stared at Jack for a moment, then went on, “We don’t have a choice, Jack. You do know that, don’t you? If we don’t do what they say, they’ll beat the hell out of Sam.” Jack still couldn’t speak, and judging by the look on Daniel’s face, he was starting to worry. “You don’t want that, do you?”

“No,” Jack finally found his voice to admit, his anger ebbing slightly. The memory of the woman’s screams was still raging through his mind. “I don’t want that.”

“What do you want me to do?” Daniel asked quietly. “You tell me what I should do, and I’ll do it. I don’t want this to come between us – our friendship.”

“You do whatever it is you have to do to keep her safe,” Jack growled out, having realized that Sam’s welfare was more important than his own anger. “You hear me Daniel?” he continued, staring intently into his friend’s eyes. “Whatever it takes.”

Daniel nodded, his expression showing his understanding. “I hear you, Jack,” he replied with conviction. “Whatever it takes. I promise.”

Jack stared back at his friend, hating that it had come to this. He and Daniel had become close over the years, relying on each other when times got tough. And now Daniel was forced to do something he knew was destroying Jack, and he was practically begging Jack to understand. Jack understood, all right. Daniel had to get Carter pregnant and Jack had no say so, whatsoever, not only because of the circumstances they found themselves in, but because he had let his career come before his heart - and because he loved Carter too much to let her be punished for his own selfish reasons.

He finally turned away from Daniel to look over at Carter. She was staring into her bowl with a look of utter sadness on her face, and Jack wondered what she was thinking. Was she thinking of Jonah? Or was she thinking about Daniel? This thought brought the anger back, and he decided right then and there he was going to beat this attitude.

“So, Teal’c,” he said, hoping to break the tension that had built up. “What is up with those rocks you were moving around?” Teal’c’s expression turned from thoughtful to bewilderment, and Jack grinned at his friend. “Why were you moving the rocks from one side of the road to the other?”

“I do not know,” Teal’c replied. “Perhaps they needed to find something for the slaves to do.”

“There are a lot of slaves here,” Carter spoke up, and Jack was glad to see the sadness was gone from her expression. “More than they need, really.”

“Yeah,” Daniel agreed. “Why do you think that is?”

“You’re the people expert,” Jack said with a shrug. “You tell us.”

“I study cultures, Jack,” Daniel said patiently. “Not people.”

“Same difference,” Jack insisted. Daniel looked like he was going to argue, but was interrupted when a small head appeared next to Jack’s arm. It was the little boy who had taken a liking to Jack, and Jack smiled a greeting at him. “What are you doing out here?” he asked.

The kid just climbed up on his lap and got comfortable, causing Jack to look at his friends with exasperation. Daniel stared at the child with curiosity, while Teal’c smiled at the sight. Carter was grinning broadly, and she reached over to tussle the child’s hair, before asking, “Aren’t you supposed to be somewhere else?”

No answer. The boy just stared at Carter, while he leaned back against Jack’s chest. Jack couldn’t believe this kid. “Will you get in trouble for being out here?” he asked, looking around to see if anyone else thought this was strange.

Still no answer, which had Jack totally bemused. “Come on kid,” he said, as he struggle against the pain in his back to stand up. “Let’s get you back to bed.”

“I will join you, O’Neill,” Teal’c said, as he too stood up. “You may need help in carrying the child.”

“Et tu, Teal’c?” Jack grumbled, trying not to let this ‘old man’ crap get to him.

“I merely wish to help you with the child, as you may need time to heal from the beating you received,” Teal’c responded tactfully. Jack stared at his friend suspiciously, before finally deciding to believe him.

“You’ve read Shakespeare?” he just had to ask. He was pretty sure the Jaffa in Chulak didn’t use those words.

“I have,” Teal’c said with a proud smile. “We also came across those words when we helped Daniel Jackson with the Ancient translations.”

“The dreaded time loop,” Jack groused.

“Yes,” Teal’c responded, trying hard not to smile.

“You know, you can let loose every once in awhile, Teal’c,” Jack informed him. “Just let those pearly whites show through.” Daniel and Carter smiled at his antics and Jack was glad to know that he still had it in him. He grinned back at them, while Teal’c chose to ignore him.

He turned to follow Teal’c toward the children’s ward, trying his best to keep his back straight. He was determined that he was going to show them all that he could still keep up with the best of them. At least he hoped he would be able to.


	4. Chapter 4

Sam lay next to Daniel, listening to the silence that had finally wrapped itself around the tent. Everyone had fulfilled their duties, and were settling down to sleep, while only a few guards paced up and down the aisle between the row of beds. Daniel was quiet, but she was pretty sure he was still awake. His breathing pattern gave him away.

She was tired, but way too wound up to fall asleep, and she wondered if Daniel was thinking the same thing she was. Colonel O’Neill’s words kept ringing in her mind. “Whatever it takes,” he had demanded. Those words drove home to Sam that he still cared about her, although she didn’t know if it was because she was a member of his team or as his ex-lover. It didn’t matter, really. Not while he was still her commanding officer.

There were many times during the last couple years when it was hard for her to think of him as her boss. She remembered all too well the time on P5C-972 when she had lusted after him, her body heating up in a most embarrassing way when he had to dance around the fire in nothing but his pants and a ceremonial vest that barely covered his ribs. The way he kept his eyes on her as he made the required moves around the pit, with firelight illuminating his sensuous stare, had sent tendrils of desire racing through her veins, leaving her mesmerized and dripping wet. She had wanted him so badly at that moment, she would have gladly given up her life to be with him, but he had been the stronger person and moved away from her when she made the suggestion. He couldn’t resist the kiss he had given her as they faced each other when the dance was over though, and Sam’s heart sped up as she remembered it. “One of these days,” he had promised her, before he left her standing there to wonder if that day would ever come.

It hadn’t, and Sam now wondered if he would ever forgive her for sleeping with Daniel. She sighed inwardly when she realized that this all may be a moot point if the guards found out that she was unable to get pregnant. She brought her focus back to the room at large, listening hard to determine if they were alone. The guards were at the other end of the tent, and Sam dared to take this opportunity to talk to Daniel about her secret.

She moved as close to Daniel as possible, pressing her face into the crook of his neck, before moving up to nuzzle the lobe of his ear. She continued to listen for any sounds from the guards, as she whispered, “I can’t get pregnant,” into Daniel’s ear. She knew for certain that Daniel was still awake when she felt him stiffen before turning his head toward her.

He didn’t say anything right away, but he did turn on to his side so that he was facing her. He stared at her for a second, then kissed her softly, resting his lips lightly on hers before whispering, “How do you know this?”

She didn’t respond, as a guard walked by at that moment, his boots causing a wood panel in the floor to creak. She relaxed slightly when she heard the guard’s boots thudding on the steps of the platform, telling her he had left the tent. She took the opportunity to whisper back, “IUD,” she explained, as she nestled her face back down next to his ear. She wrapped her leg over Daniel’s while scooting closer, hoping to give the guards the impression that they were entwined, when in reality they were ‘positioned’ to discuss her problem by whispering softly into each other’s ear.

“What?” Daniel asked her, his breath tickling the sensitive skin next to her ear. She instinctively pulled her shoulder up to stop the tickling sensation, but tried once more to relax. This was way too important.

“A contraceptive device that is embedded in the womb,” she said as quietly as she could. These guys would kill her if they found out. “It’s designed to emit controlled doses of hormones on a regular basis to prevent pregnancies. I’ve had it for several years now.”

“No pills?” Daniel whispered, still trying to comprehend what she was telling him. Sam smiled against his neck. Most men had a hard time dealing with female problems.

“Pills can be lost or taken away from me,” she whispered back. Daniel suddenly pulled her closer and Sam realized that one of the other guards was headed their way. They lay there quietly until the man had walked back to the other side of the tent, then added, “An IUD works much better for a field officer, well, at least for me.”

Daniel didn’t respond. He just lay there, staring at her through the darkness while he brought his thumb up to caress her cheek. He brought his mouth up to hers once more, kissing her lightly before moving on to her ear. “I promised Jack that you wouldn’t be hurt,” he said softly.

Sam could only nod at her friend’s words. She heard the sadness in Daniel’s voice and she wished with all her might that she could make things better, especially between her two friends. They resorted to silence as they lay there, dealing with their respective fears and grief, both knowing deep down that they were in for some major trouble.

********************************

Jack was dealing with his own problems. He was stretched out in his bed trying desperately to ignore the muted sounds coming from the next bed. The woman was apparently in an amorous mood, and didn’t seem to care that those that were nearby could hear her moans. It didn’t help that he had been thinking of a certain blue-eyed, blonde who could heat up his heart with a single smoldering look.

Carter had definitely been on his mind when he had finally convinced that kid to stay put, then made his way to his own bunk. It was driving him crazy to have to sit back and let Daniel enjoy the passion he knew Carter was capable of. And although he knew what the consequences would be, he still had a burning desire to kill his best friends. They were over there in that tent right now, making mad passionate love and Jack couldn’t say a thing, other than to give his blessings.

“Damn it!” he muttered, trying to push away the images he had of what Daniel and Carter were doing, while at the same time glaring at the shape in the next bed. The fates were against him, he determined. This was a test to see how far he could be pushed before he blew up and destroyed everything he loved and cared for. And the worst part of this whole predicament was that he really couldn’t say a thing. If Carter wanted to fall in love with someone else, including Daniel, Jack had no say so, whatsoever, one way or the other. He’d have to just sit back and let her, while pretending it didn’t matter. He had made that decision all those years ago, and now he was forced to deal with the resulting consequences.

Jack closed his eyes in an attempt to block out the sounds and his thoughts, but his mind had become fixated with Carter and he knew from experience that he was going to have a hard time trying to stop thinking about her. She’d had many suitors over the years, Martouf and Narim, coming to mind immediately. Both men had wanted her, and Jack, being the brave soul, had stepped back from his feelings to let her go, if that was what she wanted. It had been hard, but her happiness was important to Jack, and the fact that he couldn’t give her that happiness had made it easier for him to give her up.

He sighed heavily when it became obvious that another woman had decided to ‘visit’ with his neighbor and he gave up at that point. He got up and went over to the door, hoping that some fresh air would clear the air, so to speak, and he was glad that there were no guards to stop him. He stayed close to the building, walking alongside it, then came to a complete stop when he came face to face with a guard.

“A little noisy in there,” Jack explained, hoping he wouldn’t have to go back in. The guard nodded, then walked away, leaving a thoroughly confused Jack O’Neill just standing there. Okay, he thought. What the hell was that all about? He didn’t hang around too long, realizing that this was a perfect opportunity to find an escape route. He hadn’t taken more than a few steps away from the building when the guard came back and snarled at him.

“Do not stray far from the building,” the guard growled.

Jack nodded agreeably, forcing a smile to show up. “Close to the building,” he replied. “Right.” The guard slapped his stick into his palm for emphasis, and Jack took the hint. He moved back to the building and began walking alongside it again, coming to a stop when he rounded the corner. Teal’c was sitting next to the wall, apparently working on his Kel’No’Reem. Jack looked around once more, then went over to sit down next to his friend. Several guards walked by, but really didn’t pay attention to the two of them, which really had Jack wondering what was going on here. The slaves were given a lot of freedom, which defied anything Jack had ever heard of, or even thought of for that matter, about the practice of slavery.

They weren’t given total freedom, he realized, as he thought about the painful bruises he had acquired when he’d overstepped his bounds, but there were some things the guards overlooked. He could use this against them, he thought, as he watched the guards and their actions. He had no intention of staying here, especially when it meant that Carter and Daniel would have plenty of time to get closer… He stopped his thoughts at that point, grimacing at the mental pain that particular one brought on.

He leaned back up against the wall, wondering how long he would have to stay out here, then turned to look at Teal’c when his friend spoke up, “Should you be out in the cold, O’Neill?”

“Better the cold, than listening to my neighbor take care of her itch,” Jack grumbled nastily. Teal’c nodded in agreement, then turned to face the yard. Jack turned to see what he was looking at, then asked, “What is going on here, Teal’c? I mean these guards don’t seem to care that we are out here talking amongst ourselves. We could be planning an escape, for all they know.”

“I do not know, O’Neill,” Teal’c admitted quietly. “There seems to be no reason for what we do, yet we are expected to do it.” Jack thought over the words, wondering over the vagueness of them, then relaxed when Teal’c went on to say, “I spent the entire day moving rocks from one side of the road to the other for no apparent reason other than to keep busy.”

Jack had to agree that this was strange. “They had me watching over a bunch of kids to pull up weeds, but they didn’t seem to care if grass was pulled up along with the weeds. As long as the kids were working on something, the guards were happy.” Something strange was going on, but Jack was at a total loss as to what it was.

“The slaves are fearful of the guards, yet they aren’t terrified,” Teal’c added.

“Yeah,” Jack agreed. “I still can’t get over how well-behaved those kids are.” He stared out at the group of guards that were standing around talking, then added, “They are afraid of the guards, but they still act up occasionally.” He shrugged, then said, “I just figured that it was because kids will be kids.”

Teal’c smiled into the darkness at that statement. “We both know that you are well suited for that job, O’Neill,” he said. Jack wasn’t sure how to take those words, but Teal’c set his mind at ease when he added, “You work well with them.”

Jack frowned, then said, “Thank you for not saying it’s because I am an old man.” Teal’c turned to smile at him, which had Jack grumbling, “I’m glad you find it amusing.” Teal’c nodded, still smiling at him, and Jack had to give in to his own grin. “They do seem to have more slaves than they know what to do with,” he said thoughtfully, as his mind went back to mapping out possible solutions to their problem.

“Perhaps Major Carter and Daniel Jackson will be able to find out why this is,” Teal’c said, as he stared out toward the group of guards.

“Yeah,” Jack grunted angrily. He tried to calm the anger that had raged back up into his heart, but ended up staring out at the darkness, wishing it was him that was keeping Sam warm. Silence took over, as Jack dwelled on his failed love affair with Samantha Carter, and the fact that it was his best friend sleeping with her now.

Teal’c didn’t say anything else, resorting to silence himself. Jack never knew what was going on in Teal’c’s mind, and right this minute he didn’t really care. He was too lost in his own misery to even try to decipher the mystery of his friend’s mind, not that he would have anyway. Teal’c made it his business to stay out of other people’s business, but Jack knew that he would eventually have something to say about this whole thing, when the time was right of course. Jack hoped that his friend would never find the right time. This was his heart he was dealing with, and having to tell Teal’c to stay out of it was not something he was looking forward to.

He watched as the guards split up, moving around the yard and Jack was glad for the distraction. Figuring out the patterns and schedules the guards kept was going to help him find his freedom from this place, and he put his heartache aside in an effort to learn what he could to gain the upper hand.

“They will patrol the area,” Teal’c told him, “Then meet back here to talk amongst themselves.” Jack nodded, as he listened to his friend, knowing that Teal’c had been working on an assessment of a preliminary escape plan. “I have not been able to determine where they go when they walk around, but so far I have determined that they do this on a timely basis.” Jack stared at the guards, following one of them with his eyes as the man walked toward the main building. “The leader of the guards never stops walking around,” Teal’c continued, as the guard Jack had been watching turned to walk around the area where that damned crossbeam was standing so ominously. “He does walk around in a pattern though,” Teal’c added. “I do not know where he goes when he is out of my sight, but he does the exact same thing every time he walks past here.”

“Is it the same guy who captured us at the Gate?” Jack asked, his attention was now on a different guard who was walking toward them.

“No,” Teal’c answered. “There appears to be at least three men that the guards answer to.” Jack didn’t respond, as he warily watched the guard walk past them without so much as a hello. “We are safe here,” Teal’c said, “As long as we do not venture away from the building.” Jack wondered about that, but he didn’t ask again. He continued to watch the guards until they settled down into their group again.

Jack sighed heavily, as he leaned back against the wall of the building again. He was tired, but he had no intention of going back into that building until he knew it was safe to do so. He sat there, closing his eyes, before deciding that maybe he could just sleep out in the yard. “I’m going to hang out here with you for awhile,” Jack told his friend. Teal’c grinned at him and nodded his head, which Jack took as an affirmative. He stretched out next to Teal’c, settling on his side to avoid laying on the cuts and bruises that still marred his back and using his arm as a pillow, tried to get comfortable. The darkness, the sounds of the night and fatigue had him on the edge of sleep when he felt a small body crawl up next to him and curl up next to his stomach.

Jack cracked his eyes open to see what he knew he would see. His little friend had snuck out and was now firmly attached to his chest, causing him to grin at the sight. He wasn’t sure he’d get away with leaving the side of the building to take the kid back, and thinking that as long as the kid was next to a building he’d be okay, Jack pulled him tighter and closed his eyes. He’d give the kid a good talking to in the morning.


	5. Chapter 5

Sam was standing in line waiting for breakfast when someone came up behind her and slipped their arms around her waist. She jumped a little and turned in the arms to get a glimpse of her attacker, only to find that the arms belonged to Colonel O’Neill. “Good morning beautiful,” he said into her neck, before pulling away completely to smile at her.

“Um… good morning,” she replied, wondering what this was all about. She looked over at Daniel to find that he was gaping at his friend’s actions.

“Morning, Daniel,” the Colonel said, as if nothing strange was going on. “Sleep well?” he asked conversationally.

“Yeah,” Daniel replied, still staring at the Colonel with a wary look. “How about you?” he asked, apparently deciding to go with the flow.

“So so,” Colonel O’Neill responded, as he straightened his hand out and waved it to illustrate his point. “I spent the majority of the night communing with nature, but other than that, I slept fairly well.”

Daniel nodded his head, although Sam could tell he was totally at a loss as to what was going on. He gave her a questioning glance, but she just shrugged her shoulders. She had absolutely no idea either.

“Hey Teal’c,” Colonel O’Neill said, when Teal’c came up to join them. “Glad you could join us. Make sure you get plenty to eat,” he advised. “You’re going to need to build up your strength if you’re going to be moving the rocks back over to the other side of the road.”

Teal’c bowed his head in greeting, and Sam joined him in smiling at the Colonel’s words. She still wasn’t sure what was going on, but this attitude was a whole lot better than the one she had to deal with over the last couple of days. Anything was better than that.

They filled their bowls with gruel, and Sam followed Daniel over to a table that only had two other people sitting at it. The two people immediately got up and moved away, probably because Teal’c would be joining them. Sam rolled her eyes as Daniel shook his head. This was definitely not a good way to make friends.

The Colonel came over to join them, and Sam watched as he shoveled a spoonful of food into his mouth. “How’s your back,” she asked him, hoping that she wouldn’t get a repeat of yesterday’s response.

“Much better,” he said, as he stopped eating long enough to stare into her eyes. Teal’c sat down next to him, warily eyeing his own portion of food.

“Good,” she replied. If only he would tell her what was going through his mind. She looked down at her bowl, knowing it wouldn’t do any good to ask.

“Sam has a problem,” Daniel said, apparently deciding to take advantage of the Colonel’s good mood. Sam was shocked that he would just come out and say that without any warning, and felt some retribution when Daniel grunted, “Ow!” after she kicked him under the table. “What?” he snarled at her, as he reached down to rub his shin.

“What kind of problem?” the Colonel asked, looking first at Daniel, then at Sam. “Sam?” he prompted, the smile he wore didn’t reach his eyes, and Sam realized that his earlier actions was just a charade.

She glared at Daniel one more time, then looked around to see if anyone was listening in. They were at a table in the corner, and Teal’c’s presence assured that no one else was sitting close by, so Sam took a chance. “I can’t get pregnant,” she informed them quietly. The Colonel didn’t respond, he just stared at her for a moment, then went back to his gruel. Sam looked at Daniel in confusion, seriously concerned about Jack O’Neill’s mind.

“Sir?” Sam asked tentatively. “We’re going to have to get out of here soon before…”

“Are you sure?” he cut in, interrupting her in mid-sentence.

Sam stared at him for a second, then nodded. “Yes sir.”

“How is it that you know this?” Teal’c asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Birth control,” she told him, knowing the minute that she’d said it that Teal’c wouldn’t know what that was. She was right, judging by the puzzled look he had on his face. “There are several methods of birth control that are available to women,” she went on to say, “And I chose to go with a form that I never have to think about.”

“Stop taking it,” Colonel O’Neill said, as if that was the solution and what was all the fuss about?

“It’s not as simple as that,” she told him, trying to keep her anger from showing. His attitude was starting to piss her off. “I have an IUD, which is a device that is inserted into the uterus…”

“Okay, I get the picture,” he said, holding up his hands to stop her from going into intricate details of a woman’s anatomy. Sam ducked her head to hide her smile, even as a small chuckle escaped her. Typical male attitude, she thought, as she looked back up to see the grimace he didn’t even try to hide.

He took a minute to gather his wits about him, then asked, “Can you take it out?”

“No,” she said, wondering if she was going to be forced to go into those intricate details anyway. “It’s too dangerous,” she told him, hoping it would be enough. The Colonel nodded at that, and Sam relaxed slightly. He wasn’t going to push that issue.

“Perhaps someone here will be able to help you remove this device,” Teal’c suggested.

“I don’t think I want someone digging around inside her,” Daniel said, his own grimace showing on his features. “Especially since they don’t know what they’re looking for.”

Sam and the Colonel both nodded, wholeheartedly agreeing with Daniel’s words. Sam didn’t even want to think about that. A beating would be much more preferable, in her mind.

“The only thing that may save me,” Sam said, hoping to brighten the mood a little, “Is that the hormones doled out by the device causes my… um…,” she looked at them helplessly, too embarrassed to go on, and hoping they would know what she was trying to say. All three of the men at the table just stared at her, waiting for her to tell them what was going to save the day. She sighed, then forged on, “The IUD has caused my periods to pretty much stop altogether.”

Daniel suddenly decided that he was very hungry and turned his attention to his bowl, while Teal’c stared at her with total confusion on his face. The Colonel was grinning at her embarrassment, and Sam had to squelch the desire to kick him like she did Daniel.

“Your period, Samantha Carter?” Teal’c asked, and Colonel O’Neill’s grin turned to a wide smile, as he looked over at Teal’c.

The Colonel then tried to smother the smile as he looked back at her with his version of an innocent look, and said, “Yes Samantha. What does that mean?”

“Jack,” Daniel spoke up. “You’re being an ass again.”

“I know, Danny,” the Colonel said, “And I’m loving every minute of it.” He hadn’t taken his eyes off of Sam’s face, and Sam glowered at him before turning to give Teal’c her full attention.

“That’s just a term we use when we discuss a woman’s monthly… uh… her monthly flow.”

“I see,” Teal’c said, looking for all the world as if he wished he hadn’t asked. Sam could so relate to that feeling. But now that she had gotten over the worst of it, she decided to finish what she started.

“I may be able to convince them that I am pregnant after several weeks if I don’t start spotting, which happens occasionally.” She stared at her friends, before saying, “I would rather be long gone from here before then.”

“We’ll do our best,” the Colonel told her. He looked at her thoughtfully, then said, “We could just tell them about your problem. They’re pretty lenient around here. Maybe if we tell them up front…” He stopped then, seeming to realize what he was saying. Sam just looked back at him sadly. She knew the risks involved as well as he did.

“And what will happen when they find out that she lied to them,” Daniel asked angrily. “Do we really want to take that chance?”

Colonel O’Neill didn’t answer him. He just shrugged his shoulders, as he went back to eating his gruel, and Sam had a sudden insight to the Colonel’s words. “I’d be beaten,” she said, as she stared at his bent head. He didn’t say anything, but she knew what he wanted, even if he didn’t. “Then put in with you in the barracks,” she added, watching as his head came up to stare at her. “Is that what you want?” she asked him quietly. He didn’t respond, nor did he give her any indication of what he was thinking. He just sat there and stared at her.

Sam finally looked away from his eyes, turning to look at Daniel, who had gone back to staring at his bowl. What a mess, she thought, as a lump started to form in her throat. These men were her friends, and she was sitting here smack in the middle of a triangle that she wanted no part of. She tried to go back to eating her gruel, but all she could do was slam her spoon into the bowl. She then brought her hands up and threaded her fingers through her hair as she dropped her head into her hands, squeezing her eyes shut to keep out the tension. Nothing helped, and she decided to hell with it. She stood up suddenly and grabbed her bowl to throw it in with the other dirty dishes, then stalked out of the building, wondering what she could find to take her anger out on. Where was that fat, lazy Lord Reymes when she needed him?

************************************

Jack watched as Carter stormed away from them, wishing he could take back the last few minutes. He had tried, and had pretty much succeeded in acting as if all was great between them, but he should have known better. The situation they had found themselves in was like the gunpowder in a loaded gun. The gunpowder by itself was no great cause for alarm, but one little pull on the trigger would set off an explosion that could kill anything in its path.

He stared at the remnants of his breakfast, wondering if he was going to survive this latest test. It was going to be a trial, he knew, but he just couldn’t help the way he felt about Sam and Daniel’s relationship. He wanted it to end, but he really didn’t want her to get hurt in the process. Shame washed over him, as he thought about Carter’s accusation. He had only been thinking of the talk he and Teal’c had regarding the leniency they had witnessed when he’d made that suggestion to let the guards know about her problem. But she had seen through his words, digging deep down past his own conscious thoughts to put it all down in black and white. What he really wanted was to have her with him, not Daniel, and if meant that she would be beaten half to death to achieve that, then so be it.

That was not going to happen, he decided with determination. Not if he could help it. He scooped up the last of the gruel, but ended up dropping the spoon into the bowl in anger and sat back, when Daniel said, “Jack.”

“Let it go, Daniel,” Jack said, anger that the son of a bitch even had the nerve to talk to him, racing through his soul.

“I can’t Jack,” Daniel replied. “This whole thing is destroying us and I won’t sit back and just let it.”

“Well, I can,” Jack said angrily.

“Daniel Jackson is right,” Teal’c spoke up. Jack turned to glare at him, then looked back at Daniel. “You are letting this come between your friendship,” Teal’c went on to say, as Jack glared at Daniel. “We must stick together if we are to escape from this place.”

“Yeah,” Jack agreed, although he continued to stare at Daniel’s face. Daniel returned his stare, neither one willing to be the one to back down, until Jack finally said, “If it was anyone else…”

“But it’s not anyone else. It’s me that she’s stuck with,” Daniel said, still glaring at Jack. “Whether you like it or not, we have a job to do.”

“A job,” Jack snarled at him. He looked away to stare at his bowl, then made an effort to deal with the anger and the pain. “I’m trying, Daniel,” he finally said, “But the fact that it’s my best friend who’s… Oh man,” he said, as he wiped his hand across his face. “I’m not sure I am strong enough for this.”

“Then let’s get out of here,” Daniel insisted, “The sooner, the better.” Jack nodded, but he found that he couldn’t look into Daniel’s face after baring his soul like that. He stared at the table instead, while Teal’c put his hand on Jack’s shoulder.

“We will be leaving here soon,” Teal’c told him. “Until then, we stick together.” Jack nodded at the wisdom of the words, but Teal’c wanted to make sure he was totally understood. “You must not let your anger and your pain deter us from that goal.”

“I won’t,” Jack replied, as he struggled to push away his fear and his pain. His job was to get his people back to Earth safely, and he wouldn’t be doing it by just sitting here feeling sorry for himself. “Well,” he said, with a grim smile, as he stood up, “I guess I’ll be sitting with the babies again today. What fun.”

“I’m sure Teal’c would trade places with you,” Daniel said, doing his part to keep the peace.

“I would not,” Teal’c said regally, as he too, stood up.

Jack grinned at that. “Apophis’ former First Prime babysitting? What’s this old galaxy coming to?” he wondered aloud. Daniel smiled back, relief showing through his eyes.

“There have been many times when the thought crossed my mind that I was ‘babysitting’ both you and Daniel Jackson when you argue amongst yourselves,” Teal’c spoke up, shocking both of his companions into silence.

“Did he just insult us?” Jack finally had to ask, as he turned to Daniel for confirmation.

“Yes, I think he did,” Daniel replied, as he narrowed his eyes at Teal’c. “He just told us that we act like kids.”

“I was merely stating the obvious,” Teal’c informed them both, although Jack could see the beginnings of a smile.

“So, let me get this straight,” Jack said, as he followed Teal’c toward the front of the building. “You really don’t think I am too old? Why is it that everyone else does?”

“Perhaps it is because of your appearance,” Teal’c responded.

“And because you ‘are’ old,” Daniel piped up. Jack turned and glared at him, but grinned back when he realized what Daniel was doing.

“Your day will come, Daniel,” he promised vehemently. “And I will be there to push it in your face!”

Daniel just laughed and Jack realized that he was going to be able to forgive Daniel. At least he was going to give it a good try.


	6. Chapter 6

Daniel watched as a group of guards passed by the fence that separated the slaves from the Stargate. He was back in the garden, helping to plant seedlings, while taking every opportunity to watch the goings on around the portal to freedom.

One of the guards that had been assigned to watch over the slaves on this side of the fence came up to him then and nudged him with her stick, “Keep digging,” the guard told him. Daniel nodded wearily, as he did what he was told. He knew the consequences of slacking off. The female guard may be petite, but she had no hesitations, whatsoever, when it came to swinging that stick. Daniel had thought of overtaking her, but she wasn’t the only guard keeping the slaves in line, and he would have been crushed into the dirt in no time. So he kept his peace, quietly waiting for his opportunity to escape with the rest of his team.

He pushed the trowel into the ground, while watching the guard walk away, then turned to see what was going on outside the fence again. The area around the Gate was fairly deserted, with most of the guards patrolling the perimeter of the fence, probably to deter anyone from escaping. Like we could, Daniel thought sarcastically. He and Sam couldn’t even get out of bed during the night to take a leak, without two guards accompanying them, much less make an attempt to escape. And he knew that Jack and Teal’c wouldn’t leave without them. They came as a team, they would leave as a team.

He finished digging out a hole, then moved on to allow for his companion to drop a seedling into it. He continued to dig and to move on, while alternately looking out toward the Stargate, hoping to find a solution to his problem.

Some problem, he thought, as he rammed the trowel into the dirt. He was stuck here on this planet, digging up dirt and planting vegetables, while his teammates worked at their own respective tasks, all of them slaves to a man Daniel had not personally seen since he left the main building when he first got there.

The guards were keeping the slaves in line, but for the life of him, Daniel couldn’t figure out why. Reymes didn’t come out of his palace at all, how would he know if any of his slaves were missing? As many slaves as the man had, and with more on the way, who would know if some of them skipped out? What was Reymes using to scare the guards and the slaves to keep them in line? It had to be something big, Daniel thought tiredly. What else could keep these guards on the alert?

“You will earn a punishment,” warned his companion, and Daniel smiled at her when he realized she was talking to him.

“I’m working, Marain,” he insisted, as he pulled the trowel out of the ground to show her the fruits of his labor. Dirt spilled over the edge of the trowel, and she shook her head at him, while smiling at his words.

“Where I come from, work involves more than staring out at the chappa’ai,” she informed him, causing Daniel to stare at her in surprise. Not only did she just reveal that she wasn’t from this place, but she also called the Stargate a chappa’ai. She must be from a Goa’uld run planet, he thought, as he tried to gather his wandering thoughts into one place.

“You’re not from around here?” he asked her, as she leaned over to place a seedling into the hole Daniel had just dug.

“I came through the chappa’ai several years ago,” she responded. She began pushing dirt back into the hole, and glanced over at him, pointedly looking at the trowel in his hand.

Daniel took the hint and moved on to dig another hole, while Marain straightened up to stretch her back. “Where are you from?” he asked, as he chopped at the dirt.

“I am from Castoria,” she said, her eyes taking on a wistful look. She shook off her thoughts and pushed past Daniel to push another seedling into the hole he was digging.

“It’s not deep enough,” he complained, with an aggravated glare. She was always so impatient with him. “Give me a minute here, okay?” She nodded, but Daniel could tell she was impatient to get moving. He dug a little more, making sure to take his time, if only to aggravate her a little in retaliation. “Almost there,” he said, with a grin.

“It is deep enough, Daniel,” she insisted, as she pushed the seedling back into the dirt.

“Well, if it washes away…” Daniel said, with a shrug. She glared at him, and Daniel smiled back at her, thinking that she was quite pretty when she was mad. He shook off his own thoughts. He was supposed to be Sam’s lover, and he would never do anything to hurt Sam, or to cause her to be hurt. “Tell me about Castoria,” he said, hoping to take his mind off of his own personal heartache.

“I was happy there,” Marain said, as she sat back to wait while Daniel dug another hole. He complied, hoping that she would tell him something he could use to get back to Earth. “I lived in a small village and we had everything we needed to survive.” Daniel moved on to start digging another hole, while Marain grabbed another seedling from the basket she dragged along with her, and continued to tell him of her life on Castoria. “There were trees and rivers, and we used to hide among the flowers that seemed to go on forever.” She gave Daniel a small smile, then told him, “I miss the flowers.”

Daniel could certainly relate to her sadness, and he smiled back at her, wishing he could help her. “How did you end up here?” he asked, wondering why she would willingly leave her home.

“Some men came to our village,” she said, as she bent down to fill in the hole Daniel had just dug. “They kidnapped me and a few of the other people in our village, and brought us here through the chappa’ai.” Daniel finished digging another hole and moved on; all the while absorbing the information she was feeding him. “At first we thought that they were Goa’uld,” she said, causing Daniel to look up at her. “Legend has it that the Goa’uld were evil men who swallowed a person’s soul and stole their body.”

Daniel couldn’t help but nod his head at this analogy. “I’ve heard of them,” he told her.

“I had always thought that they were a myth, but my grandfather used to tell stories about having seen one when he was a small boy.” She smiled at Daniel, then said, “No one believed him, though.” She nudged at him to finish the hole he was digging, and Daniel smiled guiltily at her. He had forgotten about his chores. He went back to digging, while Marain continued her story, “But the men who had taken me through the chappa’ai were slave traders. They thought we would make wonderful slaves.” She glared at the seedling in her hand, then said, “Any man who would sell another human is evil, no matter how you look at it.”

“I wholeheartedly agree with you on that one,” Daniel said, with a great deal of emphasis.

She buried another seedling, then turned to face him, her expression serious. “I have asked that you become my provider,” she told him, shocking him to the core.

“What?” he asked, totally unprepared for this. Where did that come from? “Your provider?” he said, trying to stop his thoughts from tumbling around in his mind. “When? Why?”

She smiled at him, then prodded him to continue digging. “You would give me beautiful children,” she said matter-of-factly. Daniel went back to digging, trying to come up with a reason to get out of this. What made him so damned popular all of a sudden?

“I’m already with somebody,” he told her, unreasonable anger surging through him. Jack would be ecstatic, he realized and it would make things easier for them all, but then what would happen to Sam? He finished the hole he was digging, then moved on to the next one, his thoughts swirling in his mind like a tornado. He never was very good when he was taken by surprise like this.

“I was told that I could replace her if she does not become pregnant soon,” Marain told him. Daniel finally looked at her, only to see that she was watching him with a hopeful look on her face.

“She’ll be pregnant soon,” Daniel lied, his anger ebbing somewhat. Marain only wanted to upgrade her life, but Daniel couldn’t leave Sam high and dry like that. There was more at stake here than Sam getting pregnant.

“I can wait,” Marain said knowingly, and Daniel stopped everything to stare at her. Did she know Sam’s secret? How could she? They had been careful whenever they discussed their problem; the few times they did discuss it. Marain couldn’t know about that, could she?

“You’ll be better off looking for someone else,” Daniel said, going back to digging at the dirt. “I want to stay with Sam.”

Marain didn’t say anything. He glanced over at her to see that she was planting another seedling, her face hidden from his view, and Daniel wondered if maybe he had hurt her. It couldn’t be helped. He had to protect Sam. And, if he was honest with himself, he had to protect himself.

There were no more words between them and Daniel found that he was grateful, although he was now dwelling on his relationship with Sam. They had always been friends, relying on their mutual interests to help them strengthen their friendship. Sam was beautiful, smart and had a great sense of humor, but Daniel had never looked at her in any other way than as a friend. He had been shocked and scared out of his mind when he was ‘ordered’ to sleep with her. How could he make love to his best friend? Would this act make her hate him? He had known without a doubt that Jack would want to kill him, but to lose Sam’s friendship, as well?

He continued to dig, while he thought about his friend. Sam turned out to be a great lover, which really didn’t surprise Daniel. What did surprise him, was her willingness to give Daniel her all. He knew better than anyone how close Jack and Sam were, and for Sam to cling to Daniel during their lovemaking was something he had not expected. He thought that it might have something to do with the pain she was dealing with that was caused by Jack’s anger, but sometimes it seemed that she wanted to be with Daniel.

“It is deep enough,” Marain told him, bringing him out of his reverie. He nodded and moved on to the next hole that needed to be dug. Jack was angry all right, and Daniel could certainly understand why, but it bothered him that Sam was hurting because of it. He and Sam didn’t talk about it, but he knew she was in pain. And Jack was trying, Daniel had to give him that. “If it was anyone else,” Jack had said, and Daniel knew exactly what he was talking about. Sam had had her share of men friends, Daniel still remembered walking in on the kiss she shared with Narim, and Jack had always kept a low profile when she was with someone else. But it was now Daniel that Sam was with. Jack trusted Daniel with his life, and now Daniel was betraying that trust by taking away the one thing Jack loved above all else.

God, Daniel thought, as he followed the routine he and Marain had set in place. Why did life have to be so complicated? Daniel knew the pain his friends were going through, but the worst part of this whole mess was that no one knew, or cared, about the pain he was in. He cared deeply for Samantha Carter, and while he knew he didn’t love her, he did care a lot for her, and the more time he spent with her in their bed, the harder it was for him to separate the concept of friendship and lovers.

His pain was just as deep as theirs, but no one cared.

Life sucks, he thought, as he rammed the trowel into the dirt.

*********************************************

Early afternoons were becoming Jack’s favorite time of day. The mornings were spent settling antsy kids down, so that they could start pulling up blades of grass, while Jack and the two other adults spent their time stopping fights, calming crying children, and just generally keeping the kids busy to avoid angry guards.

Jack had taken to telling the children stories as they worked to keep them quiet, which more often than not resulted in him sitting cross-legged on the ground, with a toddler or two sitting in his lap as he entranced them with embellished stories of his childhood or with nursery rhymes that he used to tell his own son. He worried at first, because the other children would sometimes forget to work while they listened to his stories, but the guards were just happy the little ones were kept occupied. This was just one more indication of the leniency rules, and Jack stored that information away for future use.

But as the morning wore on, the stories didn’t work on the smallest of the children, who were tired and hungry and generally made life miserable for the three adults assigned to keep them from fussing. So Jack was always happy when it was officially naptime for the babies and toddlers. Today was no exception, and he sighed with relief when two women showed up to round up the youngest of the rugrats and put them down for a nap.

Jack was sitting in the middle of the patch of grass that was designated to be cultivated by the group of children, and was debating whether he should break up a fight between two little boys, when a woman came up and dropped a baby in his lap, then sat down next to him. He looked over at her with surprise, while his little shadow, as Jack had started calling the kid who would not leave his side for anything, bent over almost double in order to look around him to see who had come to visit. The woman smiled at the boy and nodded her head at him, but the kid soon lost interest. This woman apparently wasn’t a danger as far as Jack’s sidekick was concerned.

“My name is Elda,” the woman told him, as she made herself comfortable, then lifted her shirt to allow the baby in her lap to nurse. “I’ve seen you around here,” she continued, seeming to ignore Jack’s shocked expression. “You are very good with the children.”

“Yeah,” Jack said, looking out over the sea of children who were trying to look busy. Staring at the children kept him from staring at the woman’s breast. Two more little ones came up to them, and the woman made room for one of them to sit down so that he could tackle the other breast.

This was way too strange for a man who was raised to believe that modesty was something to strive for at all times. He kept his eyes on the children sitting around him, scolding one of them to get back to work, while at the same time wondering what to say to the woman who was sitting next to him.

“That little one is my daughter,” she said, bringing Jack’s attention back to her. She was nodding toward the baby in his lap, and he smiled at the baby when she reached down to pick up a small stone.

Jack had cared for this child before, so he knew what was coming next. He grabbed the stone from the child’s grasp, holding it away from her as he told her mother, “She likes to eat rocks.”

Elda smiled brightly at him, nodding her head as she said, “All babies do that.”

Jack had to agree with her on that point, but he was hoping for more adult conversation. He put the rock down on the ground behind him, as he asked, “What is your normal job around here?”

“Is it not obvious?” Elda responded with a sigh. “I make babies and I feed them.”

“That’s it?” Jack asked. This woman really had it made. How hard was it to walk around feeding babies? And the making babies part… He immediately stopped the dangerous thoughts that were running through his head. Daniel and Carter didn’t have a choice, he reminded himself sternly.

“Well, I also sit with the children during the early morning hours to make sure they stay in their beds.” Not a bad job either, Jack thought, as he looked over at the children he was responsible for. The boys had quit fighting, due to a jab of a guard’s stick, and were now pulling up blades of grass again.

“You should not let that one stay with you at night,” Elda said, causing Jack to turn to her again. “He was beaten after you dropped him off this morning.”

This was news to Jack. He turned to give the little boy, who had spent the night with him, a questioning look, but the child just stared back at him for a moment, before leaning into Jack’s side again. “They beat him?” he asked, anger welling up to consume him.

“He left his bed,” Elda told him. “We did not know he was gone until early morning, and we were worried that he may have tried to run away.” She watched him warily, then said, “We thought he might have gone to be with you because of the fuss he made when you left him there last night.”

Jack was literally seeing red. “I didn’t bring him back because I figured he was okay as long as he stayed by the building.” He was seething by this time, but tried not to take it out on Elda. “One of the guards came by and told me that the child had better not wander off.” He turned to the child and pulled him up to see for himself that a beating had, indeed, taken place. “That asshole knew that this kid was in trouble, but didn’t bother to tell me about it,” he fumed, as he raised the boy’s shirt, then swore loudly when he saw a bruise across the child’s lower back.

“Who hit him?” he growled.

Elda didn’t answer, and Jack turned to glare at her, hoping to intimidate her into answering him. “It doesn’t matter,” she said, with a sad smile. “You can’t do anything about it.”

She was right, of course, but when had that ever stopped Jack O’Neill? “Just tell me who did it, and let me worry about whether or not I can do anything about it.”

Elda shook her head as she stared into Jack’s eyes. “I will not be the reason you are killed,” she said. She smiled at the child who was now sharing Jack’s lap with Elda’s baby, before she said, “You must convince him to stay in his bed.”

“I’ll try,” Jack said, with conviction. He’d tie that kid down if he had to.

“You are Jack?” Elda asked, and Jack felt a little foolish for forgetting his manners.

“Yes,” he said, giving her a guilty grin. “I apologize for my rudeness.” Elda smiled at him, then laughed when the baby at her breast pulled back and burped loudly. Jack laughed with her, watching as the child went back to his lunch.

“Why are there so many people here?” Jack asked her. He might as well learn what he could of this place while he was enjoying her company.

“I do not know,” she answered thoughtfully. “There are more slaves than is needed for this small kingdom. Some say it’s because Lord Reymes will need them for a future kingdom he is building. Others say it is because he likes having slaves at his beck and call, and the more the merrier.” She stopped then, looking down at the baby she was feeding. “I think it’s because he likes having slaves. It makes him feel important.” She pulled the sleeping baby off and laid him down next to her, then let one of the other toddlers get in her lap to nurse.

Jack was getting used to this sight. He didn’t even bat an eyelash when the child pulled back to look up at him as she suckled. “Kingdom?” he had to ask his new friend.

“Yes. All this is Lord Reymes’ kingdom. Did he not tell you that?”

“I guess he forgot,” Jack told her, as he turned his attention toward the children he was supposed to be watching. They were still pulling weeds, while the little girl who reminded him of Carter was humming to herself. He smiled at the sight. For once, she wasn’t fighting with someone.

He and Elda talked throughout the rest of the visit. She had given him some valuable information, and he planned to use that information to gain freedom for himself and his team. He smiled at her when she left, promising to sit with him when she came back the next day. Jack was looking forward to the visit. Elda proved to be a friendly woman, someone he had come to like a lot.

He continued to watch over the children as he tried to make sense of the day-to-day life of the slaves who lived here. Life really wasn’t so hard for them. Yes, they had to watch their backs and do what they were told, whenever they were told or face a punishment. But most of the time they were left to themselves, as the guards really didn’t care if they visited with friends or took a breather from their work. Well, at least most of the guards didn’t. There were the occasional few who took their jobs very seriously and enjoyed the fear their presence caused in the slaves. This whole lifestyle was just so strange. Of course, Jack wasn’t going to be here long enough to find out the secrets of this place, but he still had to wonder.

It was when he stood up to stretch the kinks out of his back that he saw her. Her blonde hair was like a beacon to Jack, and he stood there staring at Carter as she swiped a rag across a window in the main building. It was apparent to Jack that she wasn’t scrubbing floors today, and he grinned as he watched her stand on tiptoe, stretching up to reach the top of a pane of glass. She was beautiful, even from this distance, and Jack remembered her surprise when he had slipped up behind her that morning, and wrapped his arms around her waist, hugging her briefly before she turned to see who he was. It felt good holding her like that, and the memory of it had him thinking about other times when he had been able to sneak in a quick hug. Not often, much to his chagrin, but those few times when he was able to hide her away on that ice planet had made up for it.

A tug on his shirt dragged his attention away from his second in command, and Jack was grateful. His thoughts were heading in the wrong direction, as far as he was concerned, and the distraction did him good. He looked down to see a little girl standing there with her thumb in her mouth, and he groaned inwardly as she pointed in the direction of two children who were rolling in the dirt, fighting a mighty battle.

Babysitting, Jack sighed in disgust.


	7. Chapter 7

Sam hated washing windows. Absolutely loathed the job, yet she did it anyway, wondering the whole time why she was stuck doing the menial jobs. The Colonel had the easiest job in the entire place, and she glared in his direction whenever she got the chance. She had seen him sitting on the ground, taking it easy while she washed window after window in Reymes’ palace. It didn’t matter that the windows were already clean; she still had to wash them anyway.

At least she wasn’t scrubbing floors. Apparently, the guards thought she would be better off washing the windows instead of terrorizing the slaves in the kitchen. Sam didn’t think she had been that bad, but decided against pointing that out to the guards when she realized she would be given something else to do. Anything had to be better than scrubbing the floors.

She was glad for the change; at least she was outside with the sun shining down and a cool breeze running through the compound. All she had to do was get over the fact that a highly trained astrophysicist was reduced to washing windows for a living, and she’d be all set.

She swiped the rag across the glass, while at the same time taking inventory of the building’s interior. The room beyond the window she was currently washing was used to store maintenance supplies, if the bales of wire, tools and spare parts were any indication. A thrill of excitement flowed through her when she saw what looked like a generator standing in the corner of the room. She couldn’t be sure if that’s what it was, given the lack of technology throughout the compound, but she figured it was a close cousin to one. Maybe she could use that. Her eyes swept across the contents of the room, automatically cataloging the other items she could use to her advantage. All she had to do was figure out a way to get in there and...

Footsteps were heading her way, and Sam immediately put more effort into washing the glass. The guard passed by her without comment and she visibly relaxed. These guards weren’t as swift to use their sticks as the one in the kitchen, but she still tensed up every time one of them passed by. She kept wiping at the glass, as she turned her attention back to the room inside, trying to determine the best way to get in. She couldn’t tell if the window was locked, and debated giving it a try, but she was too worried about what would happen if she got caught. To hell with it, she thought, as she tried the window anyway. It didn’t budge, which didn’t surprise her. She would just have to figure out another way in.

She heard a scream from across the compound and she stopped washing to turn to look for the culprit. She couldn’t help the smile that formed on her face when she saw Colonel O’Neill standing in the middle of the yard in front of the children’s ward, his little friend standing alongside him, valiantly trying to keep two little boys from hurting each other. One of the boys was screeching at the top of his lungs, which didn’t seem to faze Colonel O’Neill in the least. He just stood there with a child in each hand, his arms spread wide to keep them apart while two guards were bearing down on the scene. Sam watched as both children stopped what they were doing immediately, but she then became concerned when the Colonel pushed them behind him to shield them from the guards. She couldn’t hear what he was saying, but the grin he had on his face told her he was trying to sweet talk the guards out of hurting the children. Why did he always put himself in harms way in order to champion the weak, she wondered?

The guards apparently fell for Colonel O’Neill’s tactics, because they walked away from him without hurting anyone. The children immediately went back to work while the Colonel kept his eyes on the guards, watching to make sure they didn’t change their minds. He turned his head suddenly and stared back at her, smiling slightly to tell her he was okay. She nodded, then went back to swiping the rag across the window pane when he turned to sit down between the two boys, his little friend sitting down on his lap.

The generator in the corner seemed to be beckoning to her, but Sam was still trying to calm her racing pulse. She had been scared for her commanding officer when she saw him stand up to those guards, and she worried about his safety even more. She knew better than anyone his tendency to put himself in the forefront to keep others safe, which more often than not, put him in danger. It was a trait that she both admired and hated, while at the same time wishing he wouldn’t take it upon himself to do something so stupid. She needed him to live, to be there for her when times got tough. Putting himself in harms way was only a step away from taking himself out of her life for good.

That’s just the way he is, Sam, she thought to herself. He’ll never change. She closed her eyes against the sadness, then opened them to get back to what was really important – their freedom. She picked up the bucket of water and moved to the next window to wash it down, while continuing to study the contents of the maintenance room. She was determined to help her team find a way out.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Jack’s emotions were worn thin and ragged by the time he got in line for the evening meal. His little shadow had thrown a fit the minute he’d realized he was being left behind, and Jack had to resort to everything from bribery to begging to get that kid to stay put. It was a heart wrenching thing to have to go through, but Jack was determined that no one was going to have a reason to hit that little boy again. It was hard to watch as the female guard held the squirming, screaming child in her arms, while Jack stood there trying to console him. “Just go,” the guard told him, as she hung on to the child, who was reaching out to Jack in an appeal that ripped his heart out of his chest.

“Stay here,” Jack told the child one last time, before leaving the children’s ward. The child’s screams followed him to where his friend’s were waiting, heard only by Jack by the time he got there, as the memory of the kid’s tears raged in his mind.

He went up to get a bowl and dished out some of the food, realizing that he had almost missed this meal. Daniel nodded at him, when he sat down next to Teal’c, but Jack didn’t bother with a greeting. He was worried about that kid, and Carter had to nudge him from across the table to get his attention.

“What?” he asked, too miserable to care about his attitude.

“Everything all right?” she asked him.

“Right as rain,” he responded grouchily.

“I can see that,” Daniel said sarcastically. Jack ignored the sarcasm. It was not something he needed right then.

“Sir, I’ve been thinking,” Carter said quietly, her eyes telling him that she had found a possible solution. Jack waited quietly, knowing she would tell him what she had been thinking about whether he wanted to know or not. “We are due to check in with General Hammond the day after tomorrow,” she went on to explain, “And when we don’t make the connection, he will try to contact us later.” Jack waited impatiently. This was not news to him, all she had to do was ask and he could have told her that. “We need to get a message to him when he does,” she added.

“And…” Jack prompted, wondering why she had to make things so long and drawn out. At least she wasn’t spouting off with the techno-jargon that came natural to her, he thought with a great deal of relief.

“Well I think that I could make a rudimentary radio with some parts that I saw lying around in a store room,” she told him, her eyes shining with excitement as she thought about playing around with the techno-gizmos that went so well with the techno-jargon. Jack suppressed a sigh as he tried to pay attention to what she was telling him. “I’m pretty sure I could build a workable radio with the parts and materials I saw while I was washing the windows,” she continued, “But I’m not sure if we could find a reason to be in there. I was thinking that maybe I could convince them to let me go in there to get supplies to build a fan or something to ease Lord Reymes’ lifestyle.”

“Sounds good, Major,” Jack said, worry eating at him. He tried not to dwell on his little shadow, so that he could concentrate on what Carter was telling him, but deep down he had every confidence in her abilities. That little boy on the other hand…

He looked up from his musings to find Carter staring at him with a worried look on her face.

“Sir?” she asked, then glared at the guard who deliberately bumped into her as he passed. Jack ate some of his food as he watched her, then looked back at his bowl to scoop up what he could when she turned her attention back to him. “I can get started on it as soon as I get the parts,” she said, “And work on it during mealtimes and at night when the guards think I am asleep.” She grinned at him, then told him, “I’m pretty sure I can have it ready in a couple days.”

“Do it,” Jack told her, as he got up to leave them all sitting there.

“Yes sir,” Carter responded, but Jack didn’t turn to look at her. From the sound of her voice, he knew he had hurt her, but he was just so damned tired. Too tired to pretend, and too tired to deal with the unreasonable jealousy that was raging in his heart.

It was his own fault, he reasoned, as he stalked off to his bed. He had let that kid get too close. And to make matters worse, Carter didn’t even think twice about flaunting her relationship with Daniel. What the hell did she expect when she casually tells him what she’ll do when she and Daniel were not doing their ‘job’ in ‘their’ bed? This had gone on long enough, he thought with determination. He couldn’t stop them, but he sure as hell didn’t have to pretend with them anymore. He knew what he had to do now, and he felt better after making that decision. He flopped down on his bed and closed his eyes. Maybe he’ll get a good night’s sleep after all.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Sam woke up with a start the next morning when someone banged on the foot of the bed. She struggled to sit up to see what was going on, but ended up having to tug on Daniel’s arm, which was around her waist, before trying again. She got herself untangled, only to look up to stare directly into the brown eyes of her commanding officer.

“Colonel O’Neill,” she said, trying to make sense of what was going on through the murky tendril of sleep that still fogged her mind.

“Jack,” he replied, as he stared at her. He was trying to tell her something, but Sam was still in the process of waking up.

“Jack?” Daniel said, as he pushed himself up to rest on both elbows. “What’s going on?” he asked, rubbing at his eyes.

“My friends here insisted that we come for a visit,” Colonel O’Neill informed them. His friends turned out to be two guards who were standing on either side of him, and Sam really wished she knew what was going on.

“A visit?” Sam couldn’t help but ask. Talk about awkward, she thought, as she nervously stared at the man she loved standing there, staring at her, while she was in bed with his best friend.

“A visit,” he said again.

“Why?” Daniel asked, after a moment.

The Colonel shrugged, then looked behind him when he was jostled by a woman who was passing by to leave the tent. More and more people were passing by, but the little group at the end of her bed stayed where they were.

“Um… sir?” Sam said, “Maybe we could talk out…”

“Jack,” he said again, with a little more force behind the words.

“Jack,” she dutifully repeated, totally lost and confused with the whole thing.

“My friends here tell me that I shouldn’t think so highly of myself,” he told her, his eyes begging her to follow his lead. “I am just a slave, and slaves don’t have other slaves calling them sir.”

Understanding went off in Sam’s brain like a light bulb. How could she have been so dense? “I’m sorry Jack,” she said, grinning guiltily at the guards standing next to him.

“I tried to tell them that this was all a misunderstanding,” the Colonel… Jack, went on to tell her. “That you only call me sir because it was expected of you back home.” She nodded vigorously at the guards, who didn’t seem to be falling for it, judging by the looks on their faces. “But they reminded me that we are now residents of this lovely resort, and that you have no reason to treat me as someone who is superior to you.”

“It’s just a force of habit,” Sam felt obligated to add. “Lord Reymes is my master now, and he is the only one I wish to serve.” She could only hope that the look on her face was as convincing as the determination in her voice.

The words seemed to ease the way even if her expression didn’t, or at least Sam hoped that was the case. One of the guards gave her a small grin, while Jack beamed at her response.

“See?” he said to his companions. “I told you she would say that, didn’t I?”

“You did,” the other guard acknowledged. He glared at Sam for a moment, then told Jack, “I still think you should be punished to make sure it never happens again.”

Jack stood there with a worried look and Sam could totally relate to his worry. She was doing everything she could to avoid a beating; she definitely did not want him to be punished because of her. “It won’t,” she hurried on to say. “I promise.”

“She’s good at keeping her word,” Daniel jumped in to add. Sam nodded again, hoping they would believe her. The two guards looked at each other for a moment, then reluctantly stepped back. Sam let go of the breath she had been holding, then smiled at Jack, knowing her relief was evident in her eyes.

“You will not be forced to watch them mate this time,” the first guard said, a warning evident in his voice. “But know this. I will not back down the next time.”

Jack just stared at Sam, as he nodded his head in acknowledgement. Sam couldn’t look away. The guards apparently knew very well what to do to destroy him. Bastards, she growled inwardly. How could they have even threatened him with that?

The guards glared a warning at her, then turned to leave the tent. Sam didn’t even hesitate, she jumped out of bed and went over to Jack, looking into his eyes to make sure he was okay. He stared back at her for a second, then nodded slightly before turning to follow the guards out.

She watched him leave, suddenly wishing she could make this whole thing go away, to have the opportunity to go back to the way things were. She had become comfortable with that way of life over the years, only having problems with it on an occasional basis. She and the Colonel… Jack, she mentally forced herself to remember, had cut the ties long ago, and stuck with the professional roles they both chose to play. Their jobs were too important to let their personal feelings through. It had been hard, but she had learned to ignore the yearnings of her heart.

Daniel came over to her to lead her back to the bed, pushing her to sit on the edge of it while he bent down to pick up her boots. She took them gratefully, smiling at him when she saw through his concern. She had come to realize that Daniel meant a great deal to her, as well. She loved him, as a friend, and even though he had proven to be a fantastic lover, she knew he would never take the place Jack O’Neill had claimed in her heart.

She put on the boots, while Daniel sat next to her. Sadness was threatening to tear her apart, and apparently Daniel knew this, because he turned and pulled her into his arms, buffering the pain with his love and concern. Sam would be forever grateful that she had this time with Daniel. No matter that it was destined to end soon and that her heart belonged to a gruff Air Force Colonel, she would always treasure this memory.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Sam ate breakfast with Teal’c and Daniel, as Jack had chosen to sit by himself. She watched as he ate quickly, then get up to leave the minute he finished. Not once did he look her way, and not once did he give any indication that he knew she was watching.

“He needs time to deal with this, Samantha,” Teal’c told her. Sam nodded in agreement, but it still hurt that he was avoiding her. Her hurt turned into bewilderment when Jack came up and sat down beside her. He must have changed his mind, she thought, just a little stunned at the suddenness of his movements.

“Glad you could join us,” Daniel told him, his voiced laced with anger.

“I’ve been thinking,” Jack said, as he looked first at Daniel, then at Sam.

“You’ve been thinking?” Daniel asked sarcastically, as he looked at Sam incredulously.

“Yes,” Jack responded, apparently ignoring Daniel’s look. “Don’t worry, it’s not dangerous this time,” he went on with a grin at Sam. His smile dimmed as he went on, “Last night, I had pretty much decided to keep my distance from you guys to keep the peace. I’ve been acting like a jerk lately,” he added, as he gave Sam a guilty grin. Daniel grunted in agreement, which Jack studiously ignored. “But, I was thinking about it while I was sitting over there by myself, and I realized that I would be playing right into their hands.” This was said with a vicious jerk of his head toward a group of guards. “I don’t want a repeat of this morning’s incident.”

Sam was in total agreement with that statement. She definitely did not want to go through that again. She couldn’t even contemplate doing what the guards wanted her to do to ‘punish’ Jack. That thought just went beyond reason.

“It’s going to be hard,” Jack continued, “Mainly because you were right, Daniel.”

“I was?” Daniel asked, confusion marring his features as he tried to backtrack to figure out what Jack was talking about. “About what?”

“There ‘was’ a thing between Sam and I,” he said, his eyes coming back to stare into hers. “Still is, apparently.” He gave her a small smile, then turned to look at Daniel. “I’ve always been able to step back from my feelings, but then you came into the picture.”

“I’ve been in the picture for years, Jack,” Daniel told him.

“Not as her lover,” Jack said sadly. “It just seemed like a betrayal of sorts. And I was scared that maybe she would fall in love with you and leave me high and dry.” He made an angry noise, as he shook his head and looked away, then snarled, “I can’t believe I just said that!”

“Jack,” Daniel began, “You don’t have to worry…”

“I don’t have a right to stand in the way,” Jack hurried on to say, while Sam sat there trying hard not to cry. “I’m her commanding officer, which means there can’t be anything between us. If she wants to fall in love with someone else, that’s her business.”

“That is very noble of you, O’Neill,” Teal’c said. He had been sitting there quietly watching the whole scene unfold, and Sam wondered what he thought of this whole thing.

“If you say so, Teal’c,” Jack said, the look on his face relaying his disbelief. He sighed, then said, “I just think that if I’m going to let her go, I have to let go completely.”

Sam was no longer listening to the conversation. She was staring at the table, fighting back the tears that were welling up in her eyes. He made it sound so final. She had always held on to the thought that maybe one day, they could be together. But now he was telling her that he was ready to give her up for good.

Sam didn’t think she would ever find the strength to give up.

“So, from this point on,” Jack said, “I no longer care what you two do, so long as you do whatever it is you have to do to stay safe and to get that radio built. I’m tired of babysitting.”

“I’ll talk to the guards this morning,” Sam said, relying on the professional aspect of her persona to show them all that she was strong enough to deal with the hurt.

“Good,” Jack said, falling back behind his own façade. “Daniel can take the radio with him, since he spends most of his day near the Stargate.” Daniel nodded, while Jack continued, “Teal’c’s been monitoring the guard’s activities, and I tried to find a hole in their routine, but so far neither one of us came up with a good scenario.”

“Is that where the bruise came from?” Daniel asked, as he pointed at a new addition to Jack’s face.

Jack grinned cockily at Daniel, then said, “Those guys can get so testy at times.” Sam had to grin at that, knowing full well that Jack could wear down the patience of a saint without even trying. “A couple of them took offense at my attempts to find a way out of here last night, and well, you know.”

“He was unconscious when they dragged him to his bed last night,” Teal’c informed them calmly. His dark eyes showed nothing of what he was feeling, but Sam knew him well enough by now to hear the concern behind the words.

“I’m fine,” Jack insisted. “And check it out,” he said, as he waved his hand in front of his face. “I’m not seeing double anymore. I only have four fingers up, instead of eight.”

“Well, that’s encouraging,” Daniel said with a smile. “At least we know you can count to four.”

“Yeah,” Jack said, grinning evilly at Daniel, “And if you’re real nice to me, maybe I’ll take the time to teach you how to count. That way you can impress all your friends.”

This is nice, Sam thought, as she laughed at the look on Daniel’s face. They were back to talking and joking amongst themselves. It was like old times, with Jack taking on the leadership role that came so natural to him and leading his team back into comfortable territory again. They were going to get past this latest test and move on with the same tenacity and camaraderie that had served them well in the past. All she had to do was to remember how to keep her feelings to herself again. She could do that. After all, she’d had plenty of practice.


	8. Chapter 8

Jack knew there was trouble the minute he and his team stepped outside of the building after breakfast. Four guards were heading their way, and Jack tried to appear nonchalant as he watched them come closer. He wondered what had happened – it couldn’t be because of that little misunderstanding during the night. He had already been punished for that, as far as he was concerned.

But it turned out that Teal’c was the target. All four of the guards stopped in front of them, while one of them told Teal’c, “You will come with us.”

“For what reason?” Teal’c asked quietly.

“You will soon find out,” the guard told him. Jack waited to see what Teal’c would say to that, wondering if this was going to be a sparring match, but Teal’c didn’t respond. He just stood there, looking menacingly enough, which didn’t faze the guard at all. The guard nodded at his companion, who jabbed Teal’c with his stick in a threatening manner. Teal’c apparently had been ready for something like that to happen, because he swiftly turned, grabbed the arm that held the club and deftly jerked the man around so that his arm was twisted behind his back, and held in a vise-like grip in Teal’c’s grasp.

The situation got worse, though, as one of the other guards grabbed Daniel’s arm and pulled him up so that Daniel was facing Teal’c, with the guard’s stick held tightly across his throat. The guard stood behind Daniel holding onto both ends of the stick, ready and willing to kill Daniel, or at the very least, do some major damage. Daniel stood there, visibly seething with rage that he was put in that position, but he kept his eyes on Teal’c, silently telling him to do whatever he felt was right, no matter the consequences. It only took a few moments before Teal’c decided that the right thing to do was to release the guard, much to Jack’s relief. Daniel’s life was just as important to Teal’c as it was to Jack.

“Come with us,” the first guard insisted, and Teal’c nodded in agreement. Jack watched them walk away, worry for his friend eating at his soul. He turned toward Daniel, but saw that Carter was already at his side, touching his face with concern and Jack quickly looked away. He took a deep breath to strengthen his resolve, then went over to them to find out for himself that Daniel was going to make it.

“You okay?” he asked, glad that only his concern was heard in his voice.

“Yeah,” Daniel said, messaging his throat as he nodded his head. “What do you think that was all about?”

“I don’t know,” Jack admitted, turning to watch as Teal’c followed the guards toward the main building. “Do you think you can find out?” he asked, as he looked at Carter.

“I’ll try,” she responded, as she too, watched Teal’c. “The guards aren’t too friendly when I ask them a question.”

“Yeah, I remember.” Carter smiled at him, and Jack decided right then that he’d be better off going to see if he could find the guard named Bransen, to keep his mind otherwise occupied. It hadn’t taken him long to find out that Bransen was the one who had beaten Jack’s little friend. The other kids had no qualms, whatsoever; in telling him what he wanted to know.

“Build that radio,” Jack told her, as he gave her a pointed look. “I’m heading over to Babyville to see if I can stay out of trouble.”

“Yes sir.”

“Jack,” he insisted, as he stared into her eyes. He knew her response was an automatic one, but there was no way he wanted to deal with the consequences if those jerks found out. He wouldn’t put it past them to go through with their threat.

“Jack,” Carter responded, with a grimace at her slip up. Jack grinned at her to let her know he understood. Boy, did he understand – he’d been military a lot longer than she had.

“Keep your heads up,” Jack told his friends. “Let me know if anything weird happens.” They both nodded at him and he turned to walk over toward the children’s ward, his thoughts in turmoil. What was going on with Teal’c? Teal’c had been spending his time moving rocks during the day and sitting next to the building at night, nothing out of the ordinary. Well, he did sneak off the night before last to do some reconnaissance of his own, but he came back unscathed. Did someone see him and rat on him?

And he refused to even touch on his thoughts regarding Daniel and Sam. He was over that and ready to take on the role as commander of SG-1 again, like he should have been doing all along. God, he felt like such a fool for letting his feelings get away from him. Jack knew better than to let his vulnerabilities show through, especially when in enemy territory. The enemy ‘will’ use it against him, as those guards did that morning. They had caught him as he was leaving the barracks that morning and promptly got on his case regarding his “superior than thou” attitude. Thank God that whole scenario worked out to his favor.

Then there was that kid. No one knew the child’s name or anything about him. From what Jack could determine, the child had been brought to the compound through the Stargate several months before, unable to tell anyone anything. His silence was taken for granted by everyone, mainly because he was just one of a whole slew of children running around that place. He was generally known as “The Silent One” because no one really cared enough to give him a name.

Jack often wondered why the child latched onto him like a leech. Maybe he reminded the boy of someone, but it was becoming too much of a burden on Jack’s emotions to let the child continue with the clinginess. The problem was finding a way to distance himself from the little boy. He couldn’t just push the kid away, as cruelty to children was not one of his qualities. And talking to him didn’t seem to work at all. But something had to be done soon. He was going to be leaving that kid behind when the time came to escape.

He felt a tightening in his chest at that thought. That little boy was going to be devastated and Jack could only hope he would be able to sneak away when the time came. It was cowardice prompting these thoughts, he knew, but he already had a hard enough time just leaving the kid in the barracks at night. Leaving him to be a slave for the rest of his life was a hard thing for a man to live with.

The door to the children’s ward was open when Jack got there and he walked in, expecting to see all the children gathered by the door like they always were, ready and waiting to be taken outside. Instead, he found the place in total chaos. Some of the children were standing by the door, crying and crouched down, while other children were hiding under tables and beds. The women who sat with the children in the morning were trying to coax little ones from their hiding places, and Jack saw his friend, Elda, herding a group of toddlers over to the door. But it was the guards that had really caught his attention. There were two of them in the building and they were both facing a cowering child who, from what Jack could tell, had squeezed his little body in between the stove and the wall. Jack had a sinking feeling he knew which child was trying to hide, and he could feel his anger rising when one of the guards banged on the stove with his stick. The noise caused the other children to start up their crying all over again, and it was all Jack could do to keep from jumping both guards.

“What’s going on?” he asked, as he cautiously walked toward the stove.

Both guards turned on him, while one of them, the one Jack knew to be named, Bransen, snarled at him, “This is your fault. You have coddled him until he will not even listen to us.”

“He’s just a child,” Jack said, hoping to placate the guards long enough to calm everybody’s nerves.

“He is a slave,” Bransen insisted. “He must learn to behave like a slave.”

“He will. I’ll work with him.” Jack knew he was talking to a brick wall, but he had to try to keep that little one alive. He could never live with himself if he didn’t. “Let me talk to him.”

“He will be beaten. This I promise you.” The look on the guard’s face told Jack that he was serious, and he stifled the urge to punch him. Bransen was going to pay, revenge would just have to wait a little while longer.

“Then he stays in there.” Jack was determined to protect that kid, he was just a little lost on how to do it on a full-time basis. It seemed that Bransen had a grudge against that little boy.

“What did you say?” Bransen asked, standing up to his full height. He was practically nose-to-nose with Jack, but Jack couldn’t back down.

“If he comes out, you beat him. I think he is better off in there.”

“He has to come out sooner or later,” the other guard spoke up. “He will starve if he stays in there.”

“What did he do?” Jack asked, wondering if maybe he could reason his way through the guards’ anger.

“He spilled his juice,” Bransen said, in a tone that dared Jack to say another word. Jack never was one to back down from a challenge though.

“That’s all? He spilled his juice?” Bransen tensed up and raised his stick, which prompted Jack to move away from the guard and go over to the stove. He knelt down by the stove so that he could be at the child’s level, and held out his hand to him. “Why’d you spill your juice?” No answer, which didn’t surprise Jack in the least. He beckoned for the child to come to him, but the little boy just shook his head. The child was terrified. His gray eyes were wide and Jack could see him trembling as the child pleaded silently for help. Jack sighed heavily, then stood up to face the guards. “I’m sure it was just an accident.”

“Get him out of there,” Bransen growled as he swung his weapon. Jack didn’t move fast enough and the stick landed on his arm, causing him to yelp in pain. He could hear the other children start up their crying again, but he just stood there glaring at the guard, knowing what he had to do. Bransen had a triumphant look on his face and Jack knew that he was out for blood. He could only hope that the lust for blood would be spent by the time he was done with Jack, and leave the little boy alone. Besides, this may be his best opportunity to teach Bransen a lesson.

“No,” he said, squaring his shoulders in preparation for a battle. “He comes out of there and you beat the crap out of him. I’m going to make sure you don’t.” The other guard was gaping at Jack, while Bransen gave him an evil grin.

“Have it your way,” Bransen said. “I’ll punish you both.” With that said, he swung his club which caught Jack on his shoulder just as he ducked. Jack retaliated by bringing his fist up and landing a punch on Bransen’s chin. The guard stumbled back, but didn’t fall and he stared at Jack with surprise, as he stood there rubbing his jaw. The other guard came up then and grabbed Jack’s arm, twisting it behind his back, holding him down for Bransen’s wrath. Jack tried to pull his way loose, but he was caught and he sneered at Bransen, taunting him with words to get it over with quickly.

“What? You can’t do this by yourself?” he jeered. “You have to have help to beat a slave?” His taunts were working. Bransen growled at him and began to swing the club, hitting Jack several times before another guard came in and pulled him off.

“What is this?” the third guard asked, as he pushed Bransen farther away from Jack. “You will kill him and then what? Lord Reymes will punish you for this.” Bransen shook his head, while his companion let go of Jack and stood back. “Why were you beating him?”

“He attacked me,” Bransen snarled.

“That’s a lie,” Jack said, although his words were a little slurred. He looked over at the third guard, blinking hard in an effort to see through the blood that dripped down his face, then told him, “He wanted to beat that kid, then attacked me instead when the kid wouldn’t come out.”

“He attacked me,” Bransen insisted.

Jack just shook his head, then wished he hadn’t. The blow to the head had made a dent, or at the very least, produced a goose egg. He reached up to touch the spot, then winced when he found the lump. “He was after the kid,” he said.

“Get back to work,” the third guard demanded, then pointed at Bransen, “You. Come with me.” Bransen took a few seconds to glare at Jack once more, before turning to follow the man out. Jack was glad that they had left when they did. He didn’t think his legs would hold him up any longer. He let go of his resolve to remain standing and sank to the floor, while the other adults in the room hurried over to help him.

“That was a very foolish thing to do,” Elda scolded, as she helped him sit down in a chair. “He could have killed you.”

“He left that kid alone, didn’t he?” Someone offered him a cup and he gratefully took a drink. “I’ll be fine, don’t worry.”

“Please do not attempt that again.” He could see the fear in her eyes as she sat down next to him, but he didn’t have a choice. That kid didn’t deserve to be beaten. Elda stared into his eyes, then began her inspection, as she tried to see the bump on his head. He let her fuss over him. He was too dizzy and woozy to even think straight. One of the other women brought over a bowl of water and Elda dipped a rag into it then wrung it out. She smiled at him, as she went back to her ministrations, being careful not to cause him too much pain.

Jack sat there as she cleaned the cut, and tried to concentrate on his surroundings. The noise level in the room had quieted down considerably now that the violence was over and the children were once again herded over to the door. Jack’s little shadow had finally come out of his hiding place and came over to sit next to him, quietly watching as Elda washed Jack’s wound.

“Hey there,” Jack said, his voice deliberately soft and encouraging. “I see you finally came out.” The child nodded, his eyes wide as he watched every move Elda made. “C’mere,” he told the child. The little boy shot out of his chair at that and launched himself into Jack’s arms, burying his face into his chest. The kid was still trembling, and Jack hugged him tightly, hoping to calm him down. “It’s okay,” he soothed, as he smoothed his hand over the child’s hair. “Everything is going to be okay.”

“It was an accident,” Elda spoke up, her voice shaking with emotion. “One of the other boys fell into him and he knocked over his juice.” She was furious and Jack smiled up at her. She smiled back, then said, “Bransen keeps looking for excuses to hurt this one.”

Jack looked down at the child, who couldn’t be more than four years old. What could this innocent little boy have done to cause such hatred in a grown man? “What’d you do to him?” he asked, knowing he wasn’t going to get an answer. The child’s silence was going to be a detriment to his well being. If he couldn’t defend himself, who would? Jack hugged the child once again, then let him go. The little guy went back over to his seat to watch Elda tend to his friend.

Elda finished washing the cut, then went about looking for other cuts to tend to. He only had bruises to show for his trouble, and she sat back in her chair to look at the little boy. “He came to us through the stone ring.” She smiled at the child, then went on with her story, “Three men brought him here and left him with us after they were paid. He hasn’t spoken a word since they brought him here, so we have no idea who he is, how old he is or where his parents are.” Jack looked over at the child, wondering about his background. The little boy just sat there, not even squirming as he listened to Elda tell his story, and this worried Jack. He’d never met a kid who could stay still for so long.

“He played well with the other children, but he still held back. Sometimes he would just sit by himself and pull up the weeds, while the other children talked and played around him. It was like he was in is own little world.” Jack smiled at the boy again, and was rewarded when the child gave him a small smile. Damn it. He was not going to get emotionally involved with this kid.

“He likes you,” Elda stated. Jack stifled the urge to respond sarcastically to that one. Elda went on, not knowing the inner battle Jack was waging. “You must remind him of someone, perhaps his father.” This was not what Jack wanted to hear, but Elda kept on talking. “He is determined that you not leave his sight for even a minute.”

“Tell me about it,” Jack complained with a grin. She laughed at that, then sobered. “They will continue to punish him if he does not stop this behavior. You must convince him to be good.”

Jack could only nod his head, then closed his eyes against the pain. “You got anything for this headache?” He could only hope that these people were medically advanced enough to provide him some aspirin. Somehow, he didn’t think so.

His worst fears were realized when she shook her head. “It will go away soon. I promise.”

“Gee thanks,” he grouched. She smiled at him, then got up to go on about her business.

“I will see you when it is time to feed the babies,” she told him. Jack smiled at her, careful not to nod his head again. His attention was brought back to the little boy sitting in the chair next to him and he wondered once again what this child had gone through.

“What’s your name?” he asked. The little boy continued to stare at him and Jack thought he saw some tears forming in the little boy’s eyes. “Hey. None of that, you hear? No crying, I mean it.” The child jumped up and came over to sit in Jack’s lap, and Jack pulled him up and into his arms while the kid wept. “Didn’t I tell you it was going to be okay?” he asked, as he held the boy tightly. “I don’t lie about that kind of stuff, really I don’t.” He continued to hold the child, rubbing his back as the little boy sobbed his heart out, and Jack knew he had lost the battle. He had to help this kid somehow. One way or the other, he had to help this child.


	9. Chapter 9

Teal’c stood in front of Lord Reymes, quietly waiting for his sentence. He was prepared for anything, but so far he had only been escorted to the main building and brought before Reymes. He had followed the guards willingly. The incident with Daniel Jackson had proven to Teal’c just how far they would go. Despite the look of determination in the younger man’s eyes, Teal’c knew that he could not let Daniel Jackson die for him.

There had been a slight altercation during the trip to see Reymes, and Teal’c smiled inwardly as he remembered it. The guards had stopped at the door of the building and performed a ritual with their hands crossing over their faces, then turned toward Teal’c with expectant looks on their faces. Teal’c knew what they wanted, but he was determined to keep the upper hand. He stood there with his head held high, stubbornly refusing to participate in their custom.

“You WILL surrender to our beliefs,” one of the guards predicted. Teal’c did not respond. He would deal with it when the time came. They walked into the building and Teal’c was led up to stand before Lord Reymes. The man was lounging on a chair, while several slaves sat close by.

The guards all bowed their heads, while the leader spoke up, “My Lord.”

Lord Reymes had been about to take a cup that was being offered to him by a slave, but he looked over at Teal’c, then waved the slave away. Teal’c waited quietly. He was curious as to the reason he had been summoned, but he was just as willing to wait for the answer.

“You are called Teal’c?” Reymes asked, as he rose from his chair. The man was quite large, his extremely round stomach extending beyond what Teal’c would call healthy. But the man was able to move about freely, despite the encumbrance of his wide girth.

“I am,” Teal’c concurred. He watched warily as Reymes came over to him and began to study him closely, the man’s eyes scanning Teal’c from head to toe. It was unsettling to be studied like this, but Teal’c refused to let Reymes know that it bothered him.

“Where do your loyalties lie?” Reymes asked, his voice loud and boisterous.

Teal’c did not respond. He stood there quietly, wondering if this was an interrogation. So far he had not been tied down, but the situation could change at any moment and he was prepared to deal with it in his own way.

“You will answer!” Reymes snarled out. One of the guards jabbed Teal’c with a stick, which did not faze Teal’c at all. He had suffered worse treatment at the hands of Heru’ur’s torturer, Terok. Reymes, however, was insistent. He backed up a few steps, then threw his head back and narrowed his eyes as he glared at Teal’c. Teal’c glared back, despite a dull ache that began to throb in his head. The throbbing increased and Teal’c soon realized that Reymes was the culprit. Somehow the man was able to inflict pain just by thought alone. This knowledge solved one mystery, he thought, as he tried to ignore the intensity of the pain. He now knew what power Reymes had over the guards to keep them in line.

The pain stopped suddenly and Teal’c relaxed slightly, only to tense up again when Reymes smiled at him. The smile disappeared, as Reymes lowered his head to continue the onslaught, and Teal’c found himself on his knees as pain raged through his mind. Nothing mattered now, except the blinding, piercing agony that was in his head. He ground his teeth together in an effort to control the pain, but his efforts were to no avail. Relief came suddenly and Teal’c was grateful that the attack had stopped. He looked up to see that Reymes was smiling at him, his fat face showing no remorse for what he had done. In fact, Reymes appeared to act nonchalant, as if nothing had happened. “Where do your loyalties lie?” he asked conversationally.

“With my companions,” Teal’c answered, knowing full well this was not what Reymes wanted to hear.

Reymes just smiled at Teal’c. “No matter,” he said, as he waved his hand airily. “The slaves are afraid of you. As a guard, you will keep them in line.” Teal’c was certain he had not heard Reymes correctly, but Reymes clarified his statement by telling him, “You will abide by the rules as a guard or you will be punished. I prefer to administer the punishments for my guards personally – I do so enjoy watching them squirm.” His expression became thoughtful, then darkened, as he turned his full glare on Teal’c. This time the agony was all consuming, not just in his head, but throughout his entire body. White-hot pain raced through his veins, searing nerve endings and muscles, while robbing him of the air in his lungs as his instincts battled the pain. Teal’c did not know how long the attack lasted, but he experienced immediate relief when it ended. He pulled himself up off the floor while the sound of his screams died down in his ears, and he glared at Reymes, as he tried to catch his breath. “You will follow my rules,” Reymes told him.

Teal’c stood there, refusing to answer, but he knew he would do as the man asked. As a guard, he would be in a better position to help his friends to escape. It was an opportunity that was too good to pass. He finally nodded his head in agreement to the demands, then braced himself when Reymes smiled at him again. Pain did not follow the smile this time, but Teal’c knew the agony could rain down on him at any moment.

“Make sure he is not guarding his ‘friends’,” Reymes demanded of the other guards. “See to it that he cooperates.” He then beckoned to someone behind Teal’c to come forward. Teal’c turned to leave, still wondering at his good fortune of being chosen as a guard. He followed the other guards to the door, barely aware of two men who were approaching their Lord. His mind was already working on possible escape plans, and his role as a guard to further achieve his goals.

But he did not get far. He and the other guards stopped when Lord Reymes’ voice boomed out. “Teal’c. Perhaps another demonstration?” Teal’c tensed up, expecting to be attacked once again, but Reymes turned his attention to one of the men standing in front of him. “This man tried to kill one of my slaves and…”

The guilty guard immediately tried to defend himself. “My Lord. I swear that I was only punishing the slave. He…”

“You dare to interrupt me,” Reymes boomed out in an angry tone. Teal’c watched, amazed, as the slaves who tended to Reymes took several steps back, their fear apparent in their faces. Even the guards standing next to him, tensed up. Reymes most certainly had a tremendous amount of control over his people.

“Forgive me, my Lord. It was not intended…” The man did not get a chance to finish his sentence, as Reymes turned his full power onto the cowering man. The screams of pain were hard to listen to, as Teal’c now knew from first hand experience what the man was going through. The punishment lasted several minutes, while the man writhed violently on the floor and Teal’c was glad when it finally ended. Reymes turned to Teal’c, who refused to show any emotion, and smiled happily at him. “He will not attempt to kill another one of my slaves.”

Teal’c could only stare at the man. Another piece of the puzzle fell into place when he realized that Reymes was insane, or as O’Neill would put it, “wacko”. The child-like glee that graced the man’s features appeared to enhance the maniacal look in his eyes. But it was Reymes next words that enforced Teal’c’s belief.

“Why are you still here? I sent you away several minutes ago.” The guards that accompanied Teal’c all turned at once and moved off toward the door, dragging Teal’c with them. They did not need to do so. Teal’c was more than anxious to take his leave from the room.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Samantha Carter stood in the hallway of the main building, dealing with uncharacteristic second thoughts about what she was planning to do. The screams that came from Lord Reymes chambers and rang throughout the building sent chills down her spine, and she wondered just what, exactly, was she getting herself into.

“You don’t have to worry,” the guard standing next to her said, just as Teal’c and the four guards who had taken him earlier that morning came out the door. “The only slaves that Lord Reymes personally punishes are the ones who tend to his immediate needs. His guards, on the other hand, are only punished by him.” Sam nodded at that, despite the fact that the guard’s words didn’t ease her fears. She watched as Teal’c passed by, bowing his head slightly as he did so. She knew that he was silently telling her that he was all right, which Sam had already determined when she did her preliminary assessment of his physical health. There was no blood and Teal’c was walking out on his own, surely this meant that he was not the one who was doing all the screaming.

Teal’c continued to walk on down the hallway, leaving Sam to face her fears alone. But she forgot all about her teammate and his fate when the guard who had agreed to take her to see Lord Reymes took a deep breath, then grabbed her by the arm in an attempt to lead her into the lion’s den. Sam followed reluctantly, even as she gave herself a fierce pep talk. We need that radio, she encouraged silently. Put on a meek look and get the permission to build one.

Her pep talk worked, but it was the sight of a guard lying on the floor and groaning that brought her back to square one. There was no blood on him either, but from the way he was acting, she would have thought he must have been tortured beyond belief.

But she had a job to do and she steeled her backbone before following the guard up to where Reymes was lounging in his chair. “My Lord,” he said, as he bowed his head. Reymes looked up at them, his small eyes peeking out at her from above the puffiness of his cheeks, and Sam stopped breathing. There was strangeness in the eyes that peered out at her, which scared her more than the screams of the man on the floor.

“What do you want?” Reymes demanded.

“This slave claims to have the knowledge needed to create a device that would keep your palace cool. I brought her here for you to question further.” Reymes didn’t move, just stared out at them, and the guard must have decided that this was not a good sign, because he rushed to add, “I did not want to anger you by keeping this to myself.”

“Explain this device to me.” The words were directed at Sam, and she lowered her head in an effort to appear meek. She could only hope that she was convincing enough. Normally she would be spitting into the man’s face in defiance. But she wanted something and if it meant pretending to be meek to get it, she would. Sam knew how to deal with egotistical, power-mad men.

“Where I come from it’s called a fan.” She peeked up to see if he was listening, then continued when she saw that he was. “I could build a device that, when turned on, would activate a series of blades made out of thin sheets of metal, which in turn would circulate a steady stream of cool air around you.” Reymes hadn’t moved, just stared at her as she talked, and she briefly wondered if he understood her. “It would require a motor, as well as an alternative power to keep the motor running,” she added, wishing she knew what he was thinking, “But I’m sure I could divert power from the…”

“Enough!” His booming voice effectively stopping Sam in midstream and she stared up at him in surprise. She was just getting warmed up. “See to it that she has what she needs.” The guard next to her nodded and grabbed her arm to pull her out of there, but Reymes had one more thing to say to her. “Do not disappoint me in this. Your death will not be an easy one.”

“Yes my Lord,” Sam said, then turned and hurried out of the room, with the guard hot on her heels. Apparently, he wanted out of there as much as she did.

Sam was glad when she reached the hallway and slowed down to allow the guard to lead the way. But he didn’t take her to the maintenance room. In fact, they walked right past it. She stopped, uncertain if this guy understood what it was she needed, then pulled back in defense when the guard turned on her with his stick raised as if to strike.

“Come with me.” His words were terse and Sam wondered what had happened in the last few minutes to have this guy helpful one minute, then threatening her in the next. His features softened somewhat, but Sam knew better than to relax. “We must tell the overseer of this change in your duties.” He glanced back at the room they had just left, then said, “We will leave here now.”

Sam followed him, wondering once again what exactly was going on here. She knew that Reymes was not Goa’uld, she would have sensed it if he was. So he could not have used a ribbon device on the guard, yet the man obviously had been tortured. And the other guards, as well as the man’s personal slaves, all walked on tiptoes around him, which clearly indicated intense fear. Reymes had a firm hold over the guards, and Sam’s curiosity was peaked.

But finding out the hard way was not on her agenda, so she did as she was told. Bright sunlight blinded her for a moment when she walked out of the building, but her eyes soon adjusted to the glare and she glanced over toward the children’s ward to see if the Colonel was out in the yard. He was. She watched him as she followed the guard, wondering what it was about her commanding officer right then that had her worried for him. He was sitting on the ground with a few children on his lap and others sitting down around him. He seemed to be fine, but something was nagging at her. He turned suddenly and stared straight at her, giving her a small smile when he noticed who was staring at him. She smiled back and, after making sure her escort wasn’t watching, gave the Colonel a thumbs-up sign to let him know she had succeeded.

He nodded at her, then turned back to the children he was supposed to be watching over. It must have been her imagination, she thought. The tension she experienced while in the main building had lessened considerably, but she was still a little on edge. Maybe that was what had her worried.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The maintenance room turned out to be the gold mine Sam had hoped it would be. If she hadn’t known better, she would have thought she had died and gone to heaven – her version of heaven, anyway. There were tools, spare parts, and an assortment of other metal items, most of which were a mystery to her. But what mattered most, at least in her mind, was a drawer full of components and dials that would be perfect for putting together a short distance communicator. It would be a crude version of a radio, but she was confident that she could make it work.

She spent most of the day working on building both the fan and a radio, although she was careful to tell her companion that everything she did was for the fan. She had not been allowed to do this alone, so she had to endure the constant chatter of a bored guard while she worked. This guard was a lot younger than the one who had taken her to see Reymes and along with his youth, he brought a good amount of energy with him. He could put Daniel to shame when it came to talking. On the plus side of this, the guard told her quite a bit about Lord Reymes’ domain, filling in some of the blanks and answering some of the questions she had harbored since they had been captured.

Lord Reymes was an absolute ruler who demanded complete obedience from everyone he ruled. This was his kingdom and everyone, from the youngest baby to all three of the overseers, belonged to him. The guards were not considered as slaves, but every guard in the compound knew that their situation could change with Reymes’ mood. Even though they were not free to leave, they still enjoyed more freedom than the slaves did and most of them had no desire to lose that benefit.

Sam kept on working, while occasionally demonstrating that a fan was indeed being built when she showed him the blades she fashioned out of several sheets of thin metal or tried to explain what the motor would do. The guard was slightly interested, but spent most of his time answering Sam’s questions. He didn’t know why Lord Reymes needed all the slaves in his domain, but then again it was not up to him to question his Lord. This was said with a pointed look at Sam, and she took the hint. Just because he was being kind to her didn’t mean she could trust him.

She worked continuously on her projects, half listening to the gossip that the guard had resorted to. Usually in her lab, she had a tendency to get so engrossed in her work that she sometimes didn’t even hear the phone ring. But she was not in her lab, she was being held prisoner in a slave camp, and she had to stay alert, ready for any danger that may arise. Because of this, she stopped what she was doing when the guard mentioned that one of the slaves, named Jack, had nearly been killed that morning.

“Jack?” she asked in surprise, now wishing she had paid more attention to the guard’s chatter. “What happened?”

“You were not listening to me,” the guard accused, as he narrowed his eyes at her.

“I was listening. I just get very involved in my work.” She gave him her best smile, then told him, “I want this to work perfectly for Lord Reymes.”

He fell for it. He grinned back at her, then sat up straighter. Sam smiled inwardly as she turned her attention back to the radio. He was very young, but that didn’t stop him from flirting with her. He had been trying for the past hour or so to get her full attention, and now that he had it, he was going to move in for the kill. She knew this was what he was doing and planned to use that against him, so she smiled at him again, as she twisted a few wires together in the radio. “What happened to Jack?”

“From what I heard, he attacked another guard.” This guy is in his glory, Sam thought, as she continued to work. He was enjoying the opportunity to gossip and Sam was thankful he was the one assigned to sit with her after all. “But all the slaves who had seen what happened say that he was trying to protect one of the children he was assigned to watch.” The guard stopped for a moment to look at her, his smile turning downright lascivious. “It has been said that he wants to be your provider. He is too old for you, but I’m not.”

Sam stared at him for a moment, as she fought off the urge to slap him off of the stool he was sitting on. She knew better than to do that or to even say anything. He was one of the guards, after all. But it irked her to no end to have to sit there and take that kind of crap from a guy who couldn’t be more than 20 years old. She took a deep breath to calm herself, then smiled at him. “How is it that someone as young as you could become a guard?”

“I am very strong,” he responded with pride. Sam was just hopeful that the change in subject would also mean a change in his thought patterns. “And I am not so young. I could make you very happy.” The tone of his voice sounded hopeful to Sam, which told her that he was as young as she thought he was, or at least very inexperienced. With that thought running through her mind, she decided to take the risk and rebuff him as gently as she could. There’s no way she could even consider this kid.

“I am very happy with Daniel. He and I were friends before we came here, and I want to stay with him.” His smile dimmed and Sam worried that he might get angry, then take his anger out on her. “Can you help me with this motor?” She really did hope that a sudden change in the subject would throw him off his course this time. It didn’t hurt to try again. But he was still glaring at her, and Sam sighed. “You are a handsome man, but Daniel is… Daniel is special to me. I want to stay with him. Can you understand that?” She was deliberately keeping her voice calm and sincere, hoping to reach the youthfulness that he clearly still had within him.

He stared at her, and Sam tried to see what he was thinking through his eyes, but he was a hard one to understand. He finally nodded his head, albeit reluctantly, and Sam gave him a small smile in return. “You’re a good man,” she said, as she stared back at him. “The overseer was right.”

It was the right thing to say. The guard smiled at her, as he sat there, then went on about how he had been recruited to be a guard. Sam let him talk, glad that he was no longer thinking of her as his prize. She continued to work on both projects as he talked, but her mind was on Jack and the beating he had taken that morning. Building the radio had taken on an even more personal meaning for her. She had to get Jack out of there, if for nothing else, than to keep him alive.


	10. Chapter 10

Jack’s headache had finally faded to a dull throb, thanks to a home remedy supplied to him by a kindly older woman. But the bruises that remained from the beating he’d received that morning still pained him whenever he tried to move his left arm. Jack tried not to favor the arm, but he was starting to think that maybe it was more than a bruise.

He had spent the day with the children, but was not as active in breaking up the fights as he had been from day one. In fact, he tried very hard not to move too much the entire day. He just sat there telling stories to keep them occupied, while fending off the sympathies coming at him from the few children who just had to fuss over him.

One of those children was the little girl who had tried to beat the crap out of an older child the first day Jack had been assigned to watch over them. Jack was surprised by her compassionate nature, he had never thought of her that way. She was more of the rough and tumble type - give her a bully to beat up and she was happy. Yet, here she was trying to make him feel better.

She had come over to him when he had entered the yard and fussed over him in her child-like way, which had made him smile. Apparently, Jack brought out the mother hen in her. He assured her he was going to be okay, then sent her off to start pulling up blades of grass.

His little shadow stuck to him like glue the entire day, which irritated Jack, although he could understand the kid’s reluctance to step away from his “protector”. The child was following him even now, as they walked toward the dining area. It had been decided by the guards that the child would be allowed to stay with Jack until after the meal was over. This way the child would be too tired to put up a fight or he would, at the worst-case scenario, cry himself to sleep. Giving into the child seemed to be out of the ordinary for a slave camp, but Jack had already given up trying to figure out the mentality of the guards and their ways. He just figured they didn’t want to have to listen to the kid’s screaming and crying.

Still, this whole thing was not okay with Jack. He needed his space after a full day of practically stepping on the kid every time he turned around. But he had lost all rights to anything he wanted the moment he was captured. The guards had complete say so now, although Jack still grumbled about it anyway.

There were several guards congregating around the end of the building where Jack was headed, and he thought he recognized one of them as the guard who had grabbed Teal’c that morning. But there was no sign of Teal’c, which had Jack worrying all over again. What had happened to his friend? He had tried throughout the day to find out Teal’c’s fate, but no one really knew for sure. The last he’d seen of his friend, he’d been walking out of the main building on his own, but the guards had taken him to a part of the compound that was behind the dormitory building, which left Jack wondering just what the hell was going on.

Jack and his shadow walked into the main building, as a plan began forming in his mind. He was determined to find out what happened to Teal’c and he had to do it soon. They were due to check in with the SGC the next day, and Jack knew that Hammond would be trying to contact them when the allotted for time came and went. That is if Hammond hadn’t already been trying to contact them. Jack had no way of knowing what was going on at the Stargate, and Hammond could have been sending out messages for the past four days. This thought cheered him. Hammond could already be preparing a rescue team, just waiting for the opportunity to blast their way through the Gate.

Either way, Jack had to find Teal’c. There was no way he’d leave his friend behind.

He and the kid found Daniel and Sam standing in line and Jack sidled in next to them, half-heartedly listening to the complaints from those he had cut in front of. Teal’c was nowhere in sight and Jack was seriously getting worried.

He smiled at his friends, who greeted him with a nod. Daniel’s gaze went immediately to the kid standing next to Jack, then turned to him with a questioning look in his eyes. Jack just shrugged, then wondered what was going on in Carter’s head. She was staring at him accusingly, and Jack’s defenses came up like a shield.

“What?”

“What’d you do this time?” Daniel responded instead. Jack’s gaze slid over to Daniel, then back to Carter. If he didn’t know any better, he’d say they were ganging up on him.

“When?” he asked, deciding to act cool, calm and collected. He knew what Daniel was talking about, as he was staring at the lump on Jack’s head. But Jack was in no mood for pity. Let them wonder for a while.

“When you were almost killed,” Carter supplied helpfully. The little guy sidled in close to Jack, hovering next to his leg, and Jack knew instinctively what the kid was thinking. It was his fault that Jack had been beaten and now Jack’s friends were going to take their anger out on him. Jack knew better, but the kid had known nothing else during the last several months and he was terrified.

Jack reached down and smoothed the child’s hair as he smiled reassuringly down at him. “Now look what you’ve done, Carter. You’ve scared him.” Carter’s expression turned apologetic as she looked down at the child, and Jack smirked at the thought that he once again successfully turned the attention away from himself. Piece of cake, he thought to himself.

“I’m sorry,” she told the child, as she knelt down to be at his level. She smiled at the kid, then stood up to face Jack. “What’s he doing here? Won’t he get into trouble being out here with you?” She was back to glaring at him and Jack went back on the defensive. Apparently, his arrogance was short-lived.

The line was moving and Jack took the opportunity to grab two bowls, before answering. “For your information, Carter, the guards figured he’d be better off with me.” He looked down at the kid, wondering for the thousandth time what the kid saw in him. “Who am I to question those guys?”

“Apparently that didn’t stop you before,” she told him, as she reached up to touch the bump on his forehead. He flinched away from her touch, but held her gaze as she pulled her hand back. “I heard that you were trying to protect a child. This little one?”

Jack nodded his head, as he continued to stare at her. She was no longer accusing him, in fact her expression showed her resignation. She knew him too well, he thought, as he dragged his gaze from her face. It just was not in him to let someone hurt a child if there was a chance he could save the kid.

“Have you seen Teal’c?” he asked, in an attempt to change the subject to something that was way more important.

“No,” Daniel answered, bringing Jack’s attention back to his friend. Daniel was too quiet, and this worried Jack. It was not like Daniel to keep his distance. Something was wrong, but Carter spoke up before Jack could ask what it was.

“I saw him this morning in the main building.” Her eyes took on a haunted look, as she dwelled on that memory. “I was waiting in the hallway outside of Reymes’ chambers and someone was being tortured. The screams were horrible.” She shuddered and Jack nudged her to get her to move to the serving table, hoping the slight distraction would help her through the memory. He wondered what Teal’c had done to be tortured, but decided to wait until they were seated before pushing Carter for more information, if for nothing else, than to give her time to work through the memories.

She filled her bowl then turned to follow Daniel to a table. Jack did the same, while glaring at the guy who was monitoring the serving line when he balked at feeding the kid. “He’s with me,” Jack snarled, hoping that there wouldn’t be a fight. The guy just snarled back, but Jack walked away with two bowls of food, so he couldn’t complain.

He and the kid sat down opposite from Daniel and Carter and began to eat. The little boy dug in with enthusiasm, which made Jack smile. Apparently his appetite hadn’t been affected. “Why were they torturing Teal’c?” he asked Carter, as he shoved a spoonful of his own gruel into his mouth.

Carter swallowed the mouthful she was chewing on, as she shook her head. “That’s just it. I don’t think he was the one being tortured. Some other guy was. Teal’c walked out of the chambers right after the screaming, and he didn’t look like he had been hurt.”

“I saw him with those guards heading off toward the fields behind the barracks,” Jack said thoughtfully. “He wasn’t tied up or anything. I wonder what happened to him?”

“Why don’t you ask him?” Daniel spoke up. Jack looked over at him, but then turned to see what Daniel was looking at. Teal’c was walking toward them, as if nothing out the ordinary was going on with him. Teal’c sat down next to Carter, while Jack turned to look back toward the door, half expecting a slew of guards to advance on their position.

“Teal’c?” Jack was dying to know what had happened and all Teal’c could do was sit at the table smiling at them.

“I am well, O’Neill,” Teal’c responded. Jack was seriously considering getting up and punching Teal’c out right then and there for keeping him in suspense, but he sat there instead, giving Teal’c his best ‘talk or you’re dead’ look.

Teal’c grinned back at him. Apparently he wasn’t the least bit worried about what Jack would do to him. It was just as well. Jack wouldn’t really hurt him anyway. “What happened?”

“Reymes has decreed that I be one of his guards,” Teal’c responded quietly.

This was too much for Jack. He just sat there and stared at Teal’c, wondering if he had heard correctly. “No way!” he finally spit out.

Apparently, Daniel had a hard time dealing with the news, as well. “He made you one of his guards?”

“Yes, he did.”

“Why?” Jack just had to ask. Teal’c turned his head to stare at him, but Jack couldn’t help it. This was just too strange. “I mean, you’re a slave! Why would he…” He stopped and shook his head, all the while staring at his friend. “A guard?” he asked, as he looked over at Carter, only to see that she was just as perplexed as he was. Daniel just gaped at Teal’c.

“It is my belief that Reymes is insane,” Teal’c announced.

Jack couldn’t help it. He burst out laughing at the absurdity of the whole thing. “Ya think?”

Teal’c bowed his head in agreement, his own smile widening.

“Insane?” Daniel finally spoke up. Jack could see he was still trying to wrap his mind around the notion of Teal’c’s advancement.

“Yes Daniel Jackson,” Teal’c responded. “Insane. As in crazy, losing it, three fries short of a happy meal, wacko.” He sat there with a deadpanned expression; his hands clasped on the tabletop and added, “Insane.”

Jack smiled broadly at Teal’c, impressed that he was able to say that with a straight face, while Daniel and Carter both stared at Teal’c in shock. As one, their eyes turned to Jack, who immediately went on the defensive again. “What?” he asked in mock indignation, although he hadn’t lost the smile. “Why are you looking at me?” Carter had gotten over the shock and was now grinning at him, while Daniel shook his head in exasperation. Jack tried to school his features into an innocent mask, but knew he was failing miserably. “Can I help it if he repeats everything I say?”

“Three fries short of a happy meal?” Daniel asked, his own grin finally showing through. “You’re incorrigible, Jack.”

“Practice, Daniel. I get in lots of practice.”

Daniel laughed, while Jack turned to Teal’c. “You could help us to escape, right?” Teal’c nodded, as Jack’s thought brought on another one and he then turned to Carter. “Did you get that radio built?”

She smiled brightly at him, then picked up the box that was laying on the table next to her bowl. “It’s a rudimentary one, but I think it will work.” Jack took it from her, turning it over in his hands, as he tried to make sense of it. There was nothing familiar about it at all, just a few dials on a wooden box, but he had faith in Carter’s ability to make anything work. She was a genius when it came to machines.

The kid sitting next to him had gotten up and was kneeling on his seat, as he leaned into Jack to see what he had in his hands. He was such a cute little guy, Jack thought, as the gray eyes looked into his for permission. The kid sat back down when Jack shook his head at him, just a little disappointed, but not willing to push the issue. Jack frowned at this. His son, Charlie, would have been begging to get his hands on it.

“I’ll take it with me tomorrow,” Daniel said, while his eyes were also trained on the little guy. “What’s his story?” he asked, as he pointed at Jack’s little shadow. “Does he have a name?”

“Dunno,” Jack answered. “The others just call him ‘The Silent One’.” He looked down at the boy, then back up at his friends. “But I’ve figured out that he is anywhere from two to four years old.” He held up his hand and put up two fingers, then four, down to three, then four again to illustrate his point, then grinned when Daniel rolled his eyes.

“What’s your name?” Carter asked the boy. He didn’t answer, which was no surprise to anyone at the table. He just took another spoonful of food and put it into his mouth, while diligently staring into the bowl.

Jack reached out to rub his back, while telling Carter, “He came through the Gate with some men who make a living off of selling slaves. No one knows where his parents are, or what happened to them.” He looked down at the boy again, then back at Carter. “They just left him here.”

“Joseph,” said the little boy sitting next to him. Or at least that’s where the sound came from. Jack doubted his ears, even as he stared at the child in surprise.

“What?” Daniel asked, as he too gaped at the kid. “Joseph? Your name is Joseph?” The little guy jumped up at that point and climbed up onto Jack’s lap, burying his face into his chest, trying desperately to hide. Jack held him tightly, as he stared at Daniel and Carter, confusion clouding his brain until he couldn’t think straight.

“It’s okay,” he soothed, as he rubbed the child’s back. “No one is going to hurt you. I promise. It’s okay.” He continued to croon to the little boy who was shaking in Jack’s arms, while Carter reached over the table to try to help. “That’s an Earth name,” Jack said, as he looked over at his friends. “They must have grabbed him from Earth.”

“Not necessarily, Jack,” Daniel said, as he stared thoughtfully at the little boy. “It’s a Hebrew name. He could have come from any number of planets that practice Christianity, or Judaism for that matter.” Jack didn’t respond. Joseph was still trembling violently and Jack put his face into the little boy’s hair, mumbling soft words of encouragement, trying valiantly to calm him down.

“His parents must have fought for their freedom.” The anger and sadness in Carter’s voice reflected Jack’s thoughts exactly. The child was terrified. His parents had probably died trying to save him from a life of slavery and more than likely, Joseph had seen the whole thing. Why else had he stopped talking?

“Joseph,” Daniel said softly. “My name is Daniel. Do you know someone named Daniel?” Joseph clung tightly to Jack, his little body still trembling, but he did turn his head to look at Daniel. Jack continued to mumble softly to the little boy, as the child stared at Daniel, and they were all rewarded when Joseph finally nodded his head. Daniel smiled at the child, who was still hanging onto Jack with everything he had, then said, “Does Jack remind you of the Daniel you know?”

Jack waited for the answer to that question. He wasn’t sure why Daniel had asked it, but since it was something he had wanted to know himself, he waited for the answer. Joseph had calmed down quite a bit and was no longer clenching the fabric of Jack’s shirt in his fists, but he was still a long way from talking their ears off. In fact, it appeared he had retreated into silence once again. Jack finally nudged the kid, then smiled at him when the child shook his head.

“I don’t remind him of Daniel. That’s good news, at least.” From the look on Daniel’s face, he didn’t appreciate that remark, but before he could respond, a few guards came up to them and told them to get a move on. Suppertime was over. Teal’c stood up and moved away from the table, while Carter reached for the radio that was on the table next to Jack’s bowl. Daniel stood up as well, but was still spooning food into his mouth, determined to get every last bite. Joseph continued to cling to Jack, making it hard for Jack to stand. He was still feeling the effects of that beating, and he had to loosen his grip on the kid in order for him to get up from the table. It was then that Jack realized there were only a few slaves left in the building.

The other guards left them then, and Teal’c watched them leave. He turned back to his teammates, then took the radio from Carter. “I have been assigned to guard the garden area at night. I will monitor the Stargate as I do so, and will attempt to speak to General Hammond if he tries to contact us during the night.” Jack nodded in agreement, as Carter took it upon herself to show Teal’c how to work it.

Jack, Joseph and Daniel headed for the door, but stopped when Daniel turned to Teal’c. “Teal’c. When Jack mentioned all the ways to say the word, ‘insane’… It wasn’t because of something I did, was it?” The hopeful look on Daniel’s face had Jack smiling broadly again.

Teal’c’s expression nearly mirrored Jack’s as he too smiled at Daniel. “No, Daniel Jackson. It was for a different reason.”

Daniel nodded, with a relived look on his face. “Good. That’s good. What a relief.” Teal’c was still smiling, when Jack came up to him and put his hands on his shoulders.

“You do me proud, Teal’c,” he just had to say, as he patted him on the shoulder. “Real proud.” He was grinning broadly at Teal’c, who smiled back at him, as he bowed his head to acknowledge Jack’s statement.

“It is my honor, O’Neill.”

“Let’s go Jack,” Daniel droned sarcastically. “Teal’c, don’t encourage him.” Teal’c now looked thoroughly confused and Daniel rolled his eyes at Jack. “You are going to turn him into a bona fide Earthling yet. God help us if you start teaching him Ebonics.”

Jack turned a thoughtful look to Daniel. “You know, I hadn’t thought of that. I know someone who could maybe help me teach him some words…”

“Come on Jack,” Carter said, as she took his hand. He allowed her to lead him out, with Joseph following them close behind. His team was back on even level again. Now, if only things would stay this way.


	11. Chapter 11

Daniel took his time as he headed for his bed after the evening meal. He was reluctant to get there, knowing what he was expected to do. It wasn’t that he didn’t like Sam, and he definitely enjoyed himself when they were making love, but he still had his misgivings in regard to the whole thing. Sam was his friend and he worried about the consequences they would face when this was all over.

He walked slowly toward the tent and stopped when he saw Sam standing next to the steps in front of the doorway. She was talking with a couple of the other women, and Daniel saw her smile at something one of them said. She’s beautiful, he thought, as he stared at his friend. The afternoon sun cast a yellowish tint to everything, which highlighted the gold in Sam’s hair. She smiled brightly at the women, as the sound of their laughter filtered over to him, and Daniel felt a wave of sadness wash over him. She would never truly belong to him.

He shook away the sadness and walked determinedly toward the tent. It was just a job. No worse than having to clean up after the mastidge, the hairy, filthy animals that seemed to be everywhere when he lived on Abydos. Sleeping with Sam was actually a pleasant job, and Daniel smiled at her when she saw him heading her way. She smiled back, then nodded at her companions when they said something to her before leaving her alone with Daniel.

“Hey Daniel,” she said, linking her arm in his. He nodded at her, but didn’t respond. He couldn’t speak over the lump in his throat. “You okay?” The concern in her eyes, as she tried to catch his, was almost his undoing.

“Yep.” He smiled at her to reinforce the statement, but he had a feeling she saw right through his charade.

“Are you sure?” She was worried, all right. Daniel didn’t respond, he just gave her a small smile as he led her away from the tent. They still had a little more time, and a walk in the late afternoon sun would be a welcome respite. Besides, the views toward the distant mountains were quite beautiful in the early twilight hours.

They walked toward the fence, but turned back when a guard snarled out a warning at them. He was one of the guards who spent the night walking up and down the aisle between the beds. Daniel figured it was best not to antagonize the man. Sam watched the guard to make sure he was out of earshot, then turned and asked Daniel, “Have you ever wondered how they could walk up and down the aisle between the beds while we made love without them getting… um… passionate themselves?”

Daniel just shrugged, although he couldn’t help the smile that graced his features. After all they’d been through, it was refreshing to know that she was still modest. But the answer was simple enough. “Eunuchs,” he told her.

She smiled conspiratorially at him, as she shook her head. She made a show of looking around, then leaned in close to him to whisper, “A potion.”

“What?” Daniel wasn’t sure that he heard her correctly. She was grinning at him, and Daniel started to laugh. “Seriously?”

Her smile widened, as she nodded her head. “Seriously. The other women were telling me about it. The guards take the potion about an hour before nightfall and it’s supposed to last until the next morning.”

Daniel was feeling queasy at the very thought of it. “No wonder they’re so cranky.”

“Uh huh,” she said, as she pulled him along with her toward the tent. “We all know how men are when they don’t “get” any.” She rolled her eyes at him, then smiled when Daniel glared at her.

“Not all men are like that,” he told her defensively.

“Uh huh,” she said, once again, although this time there was a definite sarcastic tone to the words. Daniel couldn’t help the guilty grin that spread across his face, and Sam laughed when she saw it. This playful banter between them eased Daniel’s mind a little. So far, they were still friends.

They walked over to the tent and went in at the urging of one of the guards. The other slaves were settling down, while he and Sam stopped just inside the doorway. They did this every night, and it had almost become a ritual for them. The guards usually left them alone during this brief reprieve, having gotten used to their routine. As long as he and Sam were in the tent, they were happy.

“You ready for this?” he asked his friend. She shrugged her shoulders, but she stared into his eyes, as if trying to find his soul. Daniel knew what she was looking for and he gave her a small smile, hoping to tell her that everything was going to be okay, but it wasn’t enough.

“We need to talk, Daniel.”

Oh great, Daniel thought, so much for avoiding the subject. Maybe if he stalled around… “What about?”

She didn’t get to answer. One of the guards walked toward them with a menacing look, prompting both Daniel and Sam to move out of the way. They went over to their bed and sat down to pull off their boots, before slipping under the blanket. Daniel got in first, moving his arm to help Sam as she squirmed to get comfortable. She ended up lying next to him, with her head on his shoulder and one arm wrapped around his waist. This was unusual, and Daniel pulled his head back so that he could look into her eyes. Normally, she would lie down next to him, waiting for him to make the first move.

“What?” he asked, as he stared into her eyes. She gave him a secret smile, and Daniel went on alert. He just knew something was up.

“We need to talk,” she insisted.

Oh great, she wasn’t going to let it go. “The guards are not going to let us,” he warned her, proud of himself for thinking of a way out, then stared at his friend in shock when she got up and straddled his hips. Neither one said anything as she lowered herself until she was lying on top of him, her mouth hovering just inches from his.

“It’s important,” she breathed, as she kissed him lightly. Daniel didn’t bother responding to her words. He was not going to cooperate on this; it was a matter of principle now. Sam had other ideas though. She rubbed her nose alongside his, coming in close enough to just barely touch his lips with hers, then pulling back, before doing it all over again. He kept trying to catch her lips in a kiss, but she wouldn’t let him and it was driving him crazy. She teased him with the soft, sweetness of her lips as she occasionally brushed his mouth with hers, then moved away only far enough to keep him from taking possession. He moaned as her body followed the actions her mouth took, her hips pressing into him, then pulling back, exciting Daniel even more. He wanted her. He lifted his head, as he tried to capture her lips with his, but she was insistent. She pulled back from his searching lips, while settling her hips back into his groin, as she whispered urgently, “Please, Daniel.”

“Huh?” he asked, as he grabbed her head in his hands and tried to force her to stop driving him crazy. He kissed her eagerly, relishing in the fact that she kissed him back, their tongues briefly meshing before she pulled back and smiled at him. She let her hands roam down his body from where they were resting on his chest, and Daniel was lost to the sensations she was creating. Her hands continued their journey, skimming across the skin of his abdomen, creating warmth, before roaming lower and tugging at the waistband of his pants. He was on fire, as he slid his hands underneath her shirt to give her the same pleasure she was bestowing on him. He found that he liked this side of Sam Carter.

She moaned when he found her breasts, but apparently, she was on a mission. “Can we talk afterward?” she asked, as she ground her hips against his lower body, while her hands slipped under the waistband of his pants.

Daniel didn’t care by this point. He would have promised her the moon – anything to get on with the seduction. “Yeah,” he sighed.

She smiled at him, but still she wasn’t through tormenting him. She kissed him again, then pulled back to look into his eyes as her hands did wonderful things to him. “Do you promise?”

Daniel moaned when her hand settled lower and caressed him. “I promise. Oh Sam.” She smiled at him and gave him what he wanted, kissing him passionately while he squirmed and rolled them over until he was on top. There was no way he was going to let her tease him any more and it wasn’t long before she was begging him for something entirely different.

It wasn’t until later, while Daniel was waiting for his heart to stop racing that Sam brought up the subject again. “Are you asleep?” she whispered into his ear.

“Almost.” It was the truth. His heart had begun to settle down and Daniel was just dozing off. He turned his head toward her as she reached under the blanket to get her clothes squared away and Daniel figured it would be a good idea if he did the same. He then lay on his back, tensing up as Sam got into her “talking position”. She pressed her body into his side, as she threw her leg over him, then laid her head on his shoulder. She did this every time she wanted to talk to him in their bed, mainly because this position allowed them to talk amongst themselves without being overheard. Daniel usually liked it when she snuggled up to him like that, but this time was different. He had a good idea of what she wanted to talk about, and he would rather the subject not be brought up at all.

“You promised we could talk.” Her voice held a hint of pleading, but Daniel was a little incensed that she tricked him into giving in.

“Under extreme situations,” he groused. She had the nerve to smile at him, before pressing her face into his shoulder to try to hide the smile. She kissed his neck, causing a shiver to run down his spine, then looked back at him, the smile conveniently hidden. He knew better, though. She had known exactly what to do to wring that promise from him. “I would have promised to give you my most prized possession to get you to stop driving me crazy,” he said.

“Oh yeah?” Her smile was dazzling and Daniel found that he couldn’t stay mad at her. “And to think I could have walked away with that statuette you found on P7X-437,” she added, the sarcasm in her voice telling him that she wouldn’t have wanted that thing even if it was his most prized possession, which they both knew it wasn’t.

He grinned back at her, then reached over to push her hair off of her face. His smile dimmed as he worried about what he would tell her if he couldn’t convince her to just go to sleep. “I’m pretty tired, Sam. Let’s do this tomorrow.”

“You promised me, Daniel.”

“There’s nothing to talk about.”

“There’s plenty to talk about,” she countered. “I want to know how you are handling this.”

Daniel couldn’t help but be surprised that she would ask that. “How I’m handling it?”

“Yes. I know you Daniel. This has got to be tearing you apart and I’m worried about you.”

Well, you don’t have to be,” he snapped angrily, genuinely irritated that she would be pushing him like this. He didn’t need this at all. “I’m a big boy now. I can take care of myself.”

“I know that,” she hissed, then looked over to the end of the bed when a guard banged his stick against the railing. Apparently they were irritating the guard, as well.

“You are talking too loud,” the guard warned them. “Go to sleep.”

Daniel nodded, then lay there and listened to the footsteps as the man walked toward the other end of the tent. He shook his head, while he stared at the ceiling, then smiled at Sam as he said, “Jack better be glad he got stuck babysitting those kids. He’s cranky enough as it is without adding a potion to his diet.” This caused Sam to giggle and she had to bury her face into his shoulder to smother her laughter. Daniel laughed quietly along with her, glad for the lull from the anger that had blossomed in his heart. They were both dealing with a crap load of emotional baggage and he knew they were better off working through their problems, but he was afraid of the fallout if they did.

They lay there quietly, while Sam ran her hand lazily over his chest. He could tell she still wanted to talk, but he was not going to be the one to start the conversation back up again. Apparently, he didn’t have to.

“Are we going to be okay when this is all over?” she asked in a whisper, her breath tickling his ear as she spoke.

“Yes, we will,” he whispered in response. He wanted to believe that more than anything, and he hoped that his words would make it true.

“We’ll still be friends?” She sounded so sad and Daniel pulled her closer, hugging her tightly as he tried to calm her fears.

“I want that more than anything,” he admitted. “You and Jack went on as if nothing happened. We can do the same.”

“No,” she said, with an urgency that surprised him. “Please Daniel, I don’t want us to end up like that!”

This was serious, he realized. He turned on his side so that he was facing her, then pulled her even closer so that they could really discuss their problems without anyone listening in. “Like what?” he had to ask. He had always thought that Jack and Sam handled their relationship, or lack thereof, rather well. She shook her head as she tried to look away, probably wishing she hadn’t said anything, but Daniel’s curiosity was piqued. What was going on between those two?

“Come on, Sam,” he whispered, as he forced her to look at him. “Talk to me.”

She gave him a weak smile, while she caressed his cheek with her fingers, then sighed. “The Colonel and I are so distant now. We can’t be together like we were on the ice planet, and sometimes I just…” She stopped speaking, and Daniel worried that she was actually going to cry. He hoped not. He didn’t think he could handle her tears. “We have to go out of our way to make sure no one ever suspects that… well, you know.” She shrugged, then whispered, “We can’t even be friends.”

Daniel heard the pain in her voice, even as she tried to hide it. “You love him, don’t you?”

“No,” she said, a little too loudly. They both looked around, and Sam lowered her voice to a whisper again. “He is my commanding officer. We’d be facing a court martial for even thinking about it.”

“Regulations,” he acknowledged, with a grimace. Daniel had heard all he ever wanted to hear in regard to the regulations. He had spent way too many years working with the Air Force to not have an inkling of the rules and regulations that governed the people who worked with him. The regulations got in his way many times, causing frustration to gnaw at him when he had to fight to get anything done, but such was life with the Air Force, or so he tried to tell himself.

But he just couldn’t figure out how two people could hide their feelings, even from themselves. He personally would never be able to hide his feelings for his wife, Sha’re, no matter how many rules dictated that he had to.

“Regulations,” Sam whispered sadly. They lay there for a few minutes, as a guard walked past. Daniel used this opportunity to try to come up with something to say that would help her through her pain. He knew both Sam and Jack well enough to know that they would follow the rules, no matter how much it hurt, but it seemed to Daniel that Sam’s pain was more than she could bear.

“Why don’t you just tell him how you feel?” Daniel was still having a hard time dealing with the complexity of his friends’ relationship. Maybe Sam could put things in simple terms for him. “Sam?” he asked, when she didn’t respond right away.

“I can’t Daniel. He is so distant and every time we find ourselves in a situation that I think would be a good time to talk about it, I get scared. His attitude makes me think that maybe he really doesn’t care for me in that way.” She sighed, then said, “Then there are the times when I think he does care about me a lot, but then the regulations get in the way.” She stared at him for a second, while Daniel gave serious thought to the idea of kissing her until her sadness was a thing of the past. He settled on kissing her on the forehead instead.

“Jack cares a lot about you, Sam. His reaction the last couple of days proves it.” He caressed her cheek with his thumb, then told her, “It’s killing him that you and I are sleeping together.”

“I know and that’s one more thing for me to feel bad about.” She lay there quietly for a moment, lost in her own misery, then hugged him tightly to her, as she hid her face in his shoulder. Daniel held her just as tightly, hoping to ease her fears. This whole thing was killing her, as well.

“It’ll be all right,” he soothed, as he pulled back to look into her face.

Sam nodded sadly at his words, but Daniel knew that she had her doubts. He didn’t blame her; he had some major doubts of his own. “I just don’t want this to destroy the friendships between you, Jack and I,” she told him.

“It won’t.” At least he hoped it wouldn’t. Jack seemed to be okay with the whole thing, but then again, Jack was a master at hiding his feelings from the world. No one knew what was going on in that man’s head and Daniel had long since given up trying.

“I hope not. We make quite a team.” She smiled at him, as she kissed him softly, then said, “I want us to stay friends.”

“Friends,” Daniel repeated, his heart saddened by her words. It was what he wanted more than anything, but would Jack let them when this was all over?

Sam must have recognized the sadness, because she brought her hand up to caress his cheek. “Daniel?” she whispered urgently, “What are you thinking about?” He smiled at her to let her know everything was okay, but it was a weak smile and she didn’t fall for it. “Please talk to me.”

“Isn’t that my line?” he asked with a grin, hoping to lighten the mood a little.

“I’m stealing it,” she responded sarcastically.

Her smile dimmed as she stared at him. He could tell she was trying to come up with the right words, but Daniel didn’t want to talk about it. “Go to sleep Sam. Tomorrow might be a big day for us.”

“Yeah. I hope that radio works,” she whispered. “I’ve been trying to figure out where they put our weapons and equipment in case it doesn’t, but so far no luck.”

“It will work. It has to.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence there, buddy.” He grinned at her sarcasm, thinking that she’d been hanging around Jack too long.

“Let’s get some sleep,” he tried again. She nodded, and they lay there still entwined, as the snores of their neighbors filtered throughout the tent. The weight of her leg nestled over his felt good to Daniel, and he relished in the closeness of their bodies and souls. They were at peace with each other. For the most part, Daniel thought to himself. Emotions were still raging within him, but Sam wanted things to work out between them when this was all over, and this eased Daniel’s anxiety. At least they would still be friends.

“Are you falling in love with me Daniel?” Sam whispered against his ear. He stared at her in shock, wondering where that question came from. Was he that transparent?

He stared at her for a moment, trying to come up with the right words to tell her how he felt, but panic moved in. Would she laugh at him? “What makes you think that?” he asked her with a small smile, hoping to show her she was wrong. It had taken a lot for her to ask that question, Daniel realized, when she blushed and hid her face into his neck. “Sam?”

“I don’t know,” she finally admitted, although she hadn’t raised her head to look at him. She didn’t elaborate, but Daniel decided to just go with it. If she could muster up the courage to ask him, the least he could do was give her an answer. He just hoped that he would be able to do it tactfully.

“I’ve always thought of you as my best friend, Sam. You, Jack and Teal’c are like family to me.” He smiled into the darkness as memories flashed through his mind, memories of his friends, especially Jack, being there for him when he had desperately needed somebody. These people were his life. “I’ve always cared deeply for you.”

“But?” she prompted, as she finally came up to look at him. Relief was etched clearly across her face and Daniel had to smile. She was more perceptive than he gave her credit for.

“But I don’t think that what I feel for you is that kind of love.”

She smiled at him, as she laid her head back down on his shoulder and placed her hand on his chest. “You had me worried for a while there, Daniel.” She rubbed her hand over his chest, as she did earlier, and Daniel felt at peace.

“Sorry about that,” he mumbled. She shook her head, telling him silently that all was well now. Daniel was actually starting to believe that. Now if he could just get Jack to forgive him… “I was thinking about Sha’re earlier,” he said quietly, after another guard walked past them. He and Sam were getting good at keeping out of trouble on that score.

“You loved her.”

“Yes I did. I remember how I used to think that I couldn’t live without her.” Sadness had crept into his voice, as he spoke of his late wife. He really had loved her more than anything in the world. “I couldn’t bear to even think of something happening to her, or of her loving someone else. I never, ever wanted to let her go.” Sam put her arms around him, hugging him tightly, and Daniel appreciated it with all his being. He hugged her back, then told her, “Earlier today, I was thinking about how much I enjoy our lovemaking and how much you really mean to me.” He reached over to stroke her cheek, as he built up the nerve to tell her what he had discovered. “I do love you Sam, but I can let you go.”

She smiled at him, but horror swept over Daniel as his fingers encountered wetness. She was crying! This was not what he intended, and he reached over to hug her tightly, his lips brushing her brow, hoping to ease her pain. She returned the hug, then pulled back. “I’m glad, Daniel,” she whispered, still smiling at him. She didn’t appear to be upset, and Daniel couldn’t even begin to understand what had just happened, but Sam didn’t seem to mind his confusion. She just went on to add, “Sha’re was a lucky woman to have a man like you.”

“Yeah,” Daniel said, still trying to figure out whether Sam was hurt or not. They lay there in silence, while Daniel worried over Sam’s feelings. He had been afraid of this, of hurting her and he felt like such an ass, but Sam’s next words put his fears to rest.

“This has got to be the strangest conversation we’ve ever had.” Daniel had to agree with her, he would never have thought he would have ended up in her bed, let alone talking to her about his feelings for her after making love to her. He grinned up at the ceiling as he thought about how much she enjoyed their romps in that bed. He had made sure of it. “Here we are sleeping together,” she continued, “And talking about the people we really love.”

His smile grew as he hugged her to him. “So you do love Jack.”

“No, I don’t.” Her tone was adamant, but Daniel knew better. He continued to smile at her, and she frowned at him. “I don’t love him, Daniel. Really I don’t.” He raised his eyebrows at her and she finally gave into her own smile. “Okay, so maybe I do.” He nodded his head, while she sighed. “Don’t you dare tell him about it Daniel. Promise me you won’t tell him.”

“I won’t. But I still think that you should tell him.”

She sighed, as she laid her head down on his shoulder again. “I wish I could,” she said, her voice filled with sadness.

Daniel could relate to that. He wished he could help them find a way to get them together, but he knew that day might never come. He was just going to have to be there for Sam. “It’ll be our secret,” he told her, knowing that he would never betray her trust in him.

She nodded, and silence reigned once again. The words, ‘Oh what a tangled web we weave,’ came to mind as Daniel lay there in the semi-darkness of the tent, suddenly realizing the true extent of the phrase. He closed his eyes against the snores and mumblings of the others in the tent, as he dwelled on the fates of himself and of Jack and Sam. The three of them were a tangled alliance of friendship, love and despair, sharing close relationships, as well as a bond of friendship that ran deeper than anything Daniel had ever encountered. He valued that friendship and vowed that no matter what, he and his friends would get through this. He and Sam had worked through their relationship, now all he had to do was to convince Jack to forgive him. That shouldn’t be too hard, he thought, as sleep overtook him. After all, they’d been in worse situations, hadn’t they?


	12. Chapter 12

It was time for the morning meal in the compound and Teal’c strode purposefully toward the building where the meal was being served. He had spent the majority of the previous day learning the rules to be followed as a guard, as well as being briefed on the duties he was expected to perform. It had been decided by the overseer that Teal’c would be assigned to guard the gardens, in an area just inside the fence. Teal’c would be guarding the area at night, to ensure that he was on duty while Daniel Jackson slept. This would keep him away from his friends, as he would be expected to be sleeping while the others went about their duties.

But nothing was said about avoiding his teammates at mealtimes. Teal’c knew that he was testing his limits with the overseers by making this visit, but it was imperative that he give the rudimentary radio to Daniel Jackson.

An opportunity to use the radio had come during the night, as the Stargate had activated while most of the compound slept, but the arrival of three strangers put a damper on Teal’c’s attempts to contact Stargate Command. The strangers definitely had not come from Earth. They were greeted by a large group of guards, then led into the compound much the same way as Teal’c and his team had been when they had first arrived. The only difference was that two of the strangers left via the Stargate nearly an hour later. Teal’c assumed that the third stranger had been brought here to become a slave for Reymes, but was unable to verify that assumption.

He stopped just outside the building and looked around for his friends. Many of the slaves were already awake and were preparing to enter the building for their meal, but Teal’c did not see any of his teammates in the area. He looked toward the barracks where he knew O’Neill was sleeping, hoping to glimpse his friend’s face among those who slowly made their way toward him, but to no avail. Perhaps O’Neill was already eating breakfast.

Teal’c was just about to enter the building when he saw O’Neill walking toward him from the direction of the children’s ward, young Joseph walking alongside him. The child had become firmly attached to O’Neill, and Teal’c worried for his friend. O’Neill should know better than to become emotionally attached to a child that, for all intents and purposes, would be left behind.

Teal’c waited quietly by the door, as O’Neill and his young charge walked toward him. There was something different about his old friend, Teal’c thought, as he watched them approach. O’Neill was holding his left arm tightly to his chest, while guiding Joseph along with his right. He looked tired and pale, and Teal’c sincerely hoped that his friend was going to survive this whole ordeal.

The man was entirely too stubborn when it came to being a protector. Teal’c had heard all about the events of the day before, in fact he had heard both sides of the story. He knew O’Neill well enough to know that the tale of O’Neill being beaten while protecting a child was probably the true story. O’Neill was notorious for sustaining wounds every time he tried to protect Major Carter from being interrogated by the enemy. Teal’c admired this trait in O’Neill, even as he wondered at the futility of the actions. O’Neill took risks that Teal’c would never have considered, had he not witnessed them in his friend. Protecting another was not one of the duties of a First Prime and definitely not acceptable.

“Morning Teal’c,” O’Neill said with a grin when he approached. “Any good news?”

“Good morning,” Teal’c greeted, as he bowed his head in acknowledgment. “I must admit that I did not have the opportunity to speak with anyone from the SGC.”

O’Neill looked crestfallen, but then shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe Daniel will have more luck.”

“Perhaps. The Stargate was activated during the night, but three strangers came through it. They did not come from Earth.”

“Bummer,” O’Neill said, as he turned toward the door. Teal’c stored the new word into the recesses of his mind for future use as he nodded in agreement. O’Neill’s use of the many colorful and strange sounding words was a constant source of amusement for Teal’c, and he had decided to use as many of them as he could to further his efforts in becoming more like the people of his second home. Perhaps in time, he would be able to move out of the confines of Stargate Command and out into the city of Colorado Springs, and he hoped to be able to blend in if that time came. He knew from experience that his way with words marked him as different, just as the emblem on his forehead. He could do nothing regarding the emblem, but he could try to alter his speech and he vowed to practice more often.

“Indeed, it is.” They walked into the building and took their places at the end of the line. Teal’c stood with O’Neill, although he did not plan to join him in eating the gruel the slaves were served. The quality of food served to the guards was much more appetizing, and Teal’c decided to wait until he arrived at his sleeping quarters before eating his own meal.

O’Neill grimaced when he was jostled and Teal’c’s concern grew for his friend. “Are you well, O’Neill?”

“Just peachy,” O’Neill responded. Teal’c stared at his friend, his concern growing when he noticed that O’Neill wouldn’t look at him. His chance to pursue the conversation was halted, however, with the arrival of the other two members of SG-1.

“Hey guys,” Daniel Jackson said, as he came to stand next to O’Neill.

“Daniel,” O’Neill responded in greeting. “Morning, Sam.” It was as if nothing was wrong between them, and Teal’c was glad to know that O’Neill had worked through his anger. At least, he hoped that O’Neill was over that situation. Teal’c had no idea what went on in O’Neill’s mind, for the most part. There were many times when the man was as hard to read as Master Bra’tac.

His friends went through the pleasantries, while Teal’c stood there, enjoying the company. He did not feel the need to participate in the conversation, choosing to stand by quietly as they talked amongst themselves. He would interject his opinions whenever the situation needed it, but other than that, he was content to stay in the background, listening and forming his own thoughts on the situation at hand.

“How’s your arm, Jack?” Major Carter asked. Teal’c waited for the response, although he already knew the answer. It would be the same answer he always gave them.

“I’m fine, Carter,” O’Neill said, confirming Teal’c’s thoughts. “It’s just a little sore, that’s all.”

“Could it be broken?” she asked, her eyes showing her concern.

“Wouldn’t be the first time,” O’Neill told her. She reached out to touch his arm, apparently to find out for herself, but he pulled back with a stubborn look on his face. “No way, Carter. I remember the last time you tried to patch me up.” She frowned at him, but O’Neill was adamant. “It’s not broken. Look, I can wiggle my fingers.” He moved his fingers to prove his point, but Major Carter was not about to give up.

“It could be a hairline fracture,” she insisted.

“Don’t worry about it, Carter. I’ve been taking it easy, not using it for anything.” It was obvious that his words did not convince her, but she chose not to push the issue. She nodded reluctantly then turned to Teal’c.

“Did you get a chance to use the radio last night?”

“A wormhole was established, however it did not come from Earth.” He handed her the radio, as she stared at him with disappointment. “I am unaware if the radio is operable.”

“I’ll take it with me today,” Daniel Jackson offered, as he reached for a bowl. The others followed his example, with O’Neill taking two of them, one for him and one for Joseph.

“Make sure to tell them to send in the cavalry pronto,” O’Neill said, as he glared at Major Carter when she took one of the bowls out of his hands. She glared back at him, clearly taking advantage of the fact that she could get away with it now that she was no longer under his command. Teal’c had been amazed at the news when Daniel Jackson told him of that incident. Why would those guards threaten O’Neill with such a thing? Surely they knew it would not be an effective punishment. Perhaps it was, Teal’c thought, as he stood by quietly. O’Neill was adamant that Major Carter call him Jack.

“I will,” Daniel Jackson responded. He took the radio from Major Carter, then turned his attention to Teal’c. “Are you going to have some of this, Teal’c?”

Teal’c shook his head, keeping quiet on the subject, as he realized that it would not be prudent to inform his friends of the meals the guards were entitled to. They filled their bowls, then took them over to a table in the corner. Major Carter carried both her bowl and Joseph’s, while the child stayed close to O’Neill. Teal’c found himself wondering about the boy as he sat down at the table. What was it about O’Neill that had attracted the child to adopt him as a parent? And O’Neill had certainly taken a deep interest in the child’s welfare. Would he try to find a way to take Joseph with him when the opportunity arose to leave?

Teal’c decided not to worry about it. O’Neill would deal with it just as he did everything else. He would move on with his life, hiding the tragedies and disappointments behind an invisible shield. It was a method that Teal’c knew very well, having used it at every opportunity.

The conversation had moved on to topics of daily duties with a good dose of teasing between O’Neill and Daniel Jackson. Teal’c listened to his friends, while at the same time dwelling on the events of the past several days. He had been surprised by O’Neill’s display of anger at his friends when they were forced to participate in a sexual relationship in order to procreate and to survive. But he also understood the reaction. He, himself, had acted in the same manner when he had learned of his wife’s marriage to his friend, Fro’tak. It had been hard to accept, even though he knew that Drey’auc had done the right thing, but Teal’c had learned to overlook his wife’s infidelity. He knew that O’Neill would do the same with his friends’ betrayal. It would just take time.

Although it had only been a few months ago, Teal’c did not really know of the relationship between O’Neill and Samantha Carter during their internment on the ice planet. When he was not sick, he had no interactions with his friends, believing them to be strangers. He remembered clearly telling Daniel Jackson, who was known as Karlan at the time, that he had no recollection of even knowing him. It was for this reason that Teal’c was surprised by Daniel Jackson’s words when he spoke of the relationship between O’Neill and Major Carter on that planet. His surprise had quickly turned to understanding, as he realized why O’Neill had been acting the way he was. Jealousy was not an easy emotion to live with.

“Do you have any ideas on how we can get out of here, Teal’c?” O’Neill asked, as the subject had turned toward escape. Teal’c nodded, but before he could tell them of his thoughts, three guards came up to their table. Teal’c immediately tensed up. He assumed they were there because of his presence at the table. He was prepared to defend himself, at all cost.

But they had come for Samantha Carter.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Sam wasn’t sure what was going on, but she struggled anyway when one of the guards grabbed her arm and pulled her up off of her chair.

“Hey!” Daniel protested, standing up to come to her aid.

“You will stay out of this,” one of the guards snarled, as he tugged on Sam’s arm. Jack was on his feet, as well and she could see he was ready for bear. He was ready for a fight, but the guards were prepared for this and both Daniel and Jack were held back. Sam looked over at them; watching as both men struggled to free themselves from the guard’s grasp, then nearly fell when she was yanked by the arm.

“What is this?” she demanded, her heart racing with adrenalin. “What’s going on?”

No answer came from the guards as they dragged her through the building. She looked back once more and saw that Daniel, Jack, and Teal’c were following her out, along with everyone else in the building. Oh God, she thought, as a memory of that other woman being dragged through the building during the morning meal, raced through her mind. This can’t be happening.

“At least tell us what’s going on,” Daniel pleaded.

“What’d she do?” Jack wanted to know.

“Let me go,” Sam demanded in her best authoritative voice.

“There was blood on her sheets,” she heard one of the guards say.

Sam couldn’t have heard the man right. But being dragged off to the crossbeam in the yard was actually happening to her and she knew what was going to happen next. “No!” she screamed at them. “That’s not possible. Daniel, tell them that’s not possible.”

“It’s not possible,” Daniel yelled from somewhere behind her. Sam tried to look back, but another guard was right behind her and she couldn’t see her teammates. “She wasn’t bleeding when we were…” he stopped for a second, then said, “It’s definitely not possible.”

The guards were not listening, or didn’t care. Whatever the case, Sam knew she was destined to go through a beating. She kept on struggling, desperately trying to break free and she yelped when one of the guards grabbed her by the hair and pulled her up so that she was close to his face. “You will be whipped,” he said viciously. “It is the standard punishment for women who do not fulfill their duties as a breeder.” He pushed her away at that point, and she stumbled and fell to her knees. She looked up at the guard who had pushed her, while another guard grabbed her arm to pull her up. She knew the guard who had snarled at her. He was the one who was on the floor in Reymes palace, the one who had been tortured. But she didn’t have time to dwell on what he’d wanted, because she was on the move again.

“Your time will come, Bransen,” she heard Jack snarl. She turned to try to find him and to see who he was threatening, but her guards were determined to finish the job. She was dragged over to the crossbeam and knew complete embarrassment when one of the guards tried to pull her shirt off, lifting it up and baring her breasts before she jerked away and swatted at his hands. He slapped her hard, then made quick work of divesting her of the shirt. She was then forced up against the crossbeam, the rough wood scraping the skin on her stomach and breasts as she rubbed up against it and her hands were quickly tied to the beams.

“I’m not bleeding!” she yelled, wishing she could make them believe her. There was no blood when she had dried herself after emptying her bladder that morning. The guards were mistaken. They had the wrong woman.

“There was blood on the sheets in your bed,” one of the guards said. “I saw it myself.”

“No. You’re wrong,” Daniel shouted. “She was not bleeding when we made love last night. Let her go.”

“Let her go,” Jack demanded. But their demands fell on deaf ears. The guards had a job to do, and they were going to do it.

No matter how much she tried to prepare for it, the pain that tore through her when the whip landed on her back was excruciating. She screamed as she arched away from the whip, then tensed up her muscles as she waited for the next lash.

“Do something, Teal’c!” she heard Daniel yell. “Help her.” Sam held her breath as she waited for Teal’c’s response. He was a guard; maybe he could talk some sense into the others. But there was no response from Teal’c, at least none that she could hear, and she screamed again when the whip cut into her back. “Teal’c!” Daniel yelled.

“I’m not bleeding,” Sam tried once again, tears streaming down her face. “Why won’t you believe me?” They didn’t care, she realized. They had a job to do.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Jack O’Neill had it all figured out. He knew exactly what he was going to do to put Bransen through a slow and very painful death. The man had sealed his own death warrant when he had grabbed Carter and threatened her like that. Jack knew that Bransen had done it mainly because Sam was Jack’s friend, but the blatant display of cowardice on Bransen’s part had Jack seeing red. He had made an enemy, which seemed to be par for the course - he was always making an enemy whenever he was held against his will. But Bransen was taking his anger out on Carter, and that was totally unacceptable, as far as Jack was concerned.

No, Jack thought, as he glowered at the man he was planning to murder. Bransen had signed the damned thing when he had beat the daylights out of Joseph. Either crime was justification enough for Jack, and he continued to finalize the plans as he struggled to get away from the guards that were holding him back.

He was so intent on making the plans, that it didn’t even bother him when Daniel mentioned his nighttime activities with Sam. Of course, that didn’t mean too much. He knew that Daniel was only trying to save Sam from the whipping. Hell, Jack would have said that he’d been in her bed if it would have saved her from getting hurt.

Sam screamed out when the lash bit into her skin, and Jack winced, remembering the agony and his own yells when he had gone through that. The cuts on his skin were pretty much healed, although they now itched like crazy when he least expected it. But there was still some faint bruising on his back, reminding him of that beating every time he lay down at night.

He watched as the whip lashed against the tender skin of her bare back again. He well remembered the softness of that skin when he had dragged his fingers along her spine, causing her to arch her back in pleasure when they were sharing an intimate moment. Thera had been a willing lover then, while Sam was now sleeping with Daniel. He shook off the memories and the emotions that raged up in him, and concentrated on trying to get free.

“Let her go!” he shouted, wishing he could break free from the hands that held him rooted to the spot. Helplessness tore through Jack’s heart. They were hurting her and there wasn’t a thing he could do to stop it.

He turned to look at Daniel when he heard him call out to Teal’c for help. Daniel’s face was flushed and Jack could see that he was furious. Daniel was struggling with his captors as hard as Jack was, but Daniel was glaring at Teal’c, which had Jack wondering just who Daniel’s anger was directed. Teal’c hadn’t moved from the spot where he had stopped to watch the show. “Teal’c!” Daniel shouted, but it was as if Teal’c hadn’t heard him, as he continued to stand there, ignoring Daniel’s pleas. Jack knew that there was nothing anyone could do, but Daniel just wouldn’t give up. “Check her for blood,” he called out, causing Jack to gape at his friend. Surely he was not suggesting… “You’ll see that she’s not bleeding.”

He was! Oh crap, Jack thought, as Daniel continued to urge the guards to do a more personal search, even as they continued to whip her. Carter was gonna be so pissed. But if it would stop the beating, Jack was all for it, Sam’s modesty be damned.

It took a few minutes, but Daniel’s shouts broke through to the guards. The one who had the whip in his hand stopped and waited to see what the overseer was going to do. “Do it!” Daniel insisted, as the overseer looked over at him. “Check for blood.”

Jack released the breath he was holding when the overseer finally nodded, then went over to stand next to Sam. He looked into her face as he put his hand into her pants, and Jack watched as the muscles in Sam’s body tensed up as she endured the invasion of her privacy. The blood on her back glistened in the sun as the muscles tightened, and he watched as her body jerked while the overseer made his inspection. And to make matters worse, he seemed to be taking his time. Jack gritted his teeth as he waited, wondering if he was going to have to kill that guy too, then noticed the silence that had filled the air. Every single person in the yard was waiting for the results. He looked around, noticing that Elda was standing next to him, holding a terrified Joseph in her arms, and he smiled his thanks at her. He had forgotten all about Elda and the kid the moment she had shown up and taken Joseph by the hand.

He turned back to see if the guy was done yet. Jack knew that Sam had to be mortified at this turn of events, but he was glad that she went through it when the overseer finally brought out his hand and saw that there was no blood on his fingers. “Let her go,” the overseer commanded, as he stared at her warily. He turned toward Daniel, giving the guards who were holding him a nod, then turned and walked away. Jack suddenly found himself free, and he rushed over to help Daniel untie Sam.

“Are you okay, Sam?” he asked, as he reached up to untie the rope that secured her hand to the crossbeam. She nodded, although she wouldn’t look at him. He freed her hand, while Daniel untied the other one and she collapsed to her knees, wrapping her arms around her chest to cover herself. A few women came up to them then, one of them pushing Jack away as she moved in to help. Jack stood back and let them take care of her. There was not much he could do anyway.


	13. Chapter 13

Daniel sat down on the side of the bed and watched as the two women who had accompanied Sam take care of the cuts on her back. Sam was lying on her stomach with her face turned away from him, and Daniel fervently hoped that she wasn’t too mad at him. She had every right to be, especially after what he had put her through, but it was the only thing he could think of to save her from that beating.

“Sam?” he said, hoping to make her understand. “I’m sorry, really I am.” She shook her head, but Daniel still feared it was too late. “It’s just that I couldn’t think of anything else.”

“It’s okay, Daniel,” she said quietly.

Daniel didn’t think anything was okay, but he also couldn’t think of anything else to say. So he sat there and watched as one of the women gently smeared on something that Daniel assumed was an ointment of some kind, completely covering the cuts on Sam’s back. There weren’t that many cuts, but enough to make movement very painful for the next three or four days. Sam whimpered at one point and Daniel glared at the woman, hoping to scare her into being more careful. The woman totally ignored Daniel, as she continued her ministrations, leaving him feeling a little helpless.

With nothing to do but watch the other women, Daniel reached over and grabbed Sam’s hand, holding it in his own. He rubbed his thumb over the back of her fingers, wishing he could take this whole nightmare away from her.

“Hey, anyone home?”

Daniel knew that voice. He looked up, surprised to see Jack and Teal’c walking into the tent, Joseph following close behind. “What are you guys doing here?” he asked.

“We came to see how Sam’s doing,” Jack answered. He seemed to be a bit edgy, and Daniel wondered if Jack was thinking the same thing he was thinking. It hadn’t been that long ago when Jack stood in that very same spot with a guard on either side of him.

“She says she’s doing okay,” Daniel said, the doubt he harbored in his mind showing up in his voice.

“How’s it going, Carter?” Jack’s voice was soft and comforting, seeming to be out of place for the man, but it also seemed to have an effect on Sam. She turned her head into the pillow to muffle what sounded suspiciously like a sob, and Daniel’s heart went out to her. He dropped her hand and leaned over to touch her hair, smoothing his hand over it in an attempt to calm her down.

Jack had come to help, as well. He moved around the bed until he was able to stoop down to look into her face, which was still hidden in the pillow. “Sam?” he said quietly, as he reached out to touch her shoulder. He began to rub it, while Sam cried, the pillow doing nothing to hide the sounds of her anguish.

“It’s gonna be okay, Sam,” Daniel crooned, wishing he could make it true. He hated feeling helpless like this. The women finished what they were doing, and left without saying a word, leaving Sam to the tender mercies of her friends.

He and Jack continued to run their fingers over Sam’s hair and shoulder, waiting patiently for her to calm down. Teal’c waited by the end of the bed, while Joseph had taken up residence on the bed next to Daniel. Sam was surrounded by her friends in silence, punctuated only by the sounds of her sobs, a silence that seemed to have a calming effect on all of them.

“Hey,” Jack said, when her sobs had died down to sniffles and she had turned her head back toward him. “We’re going to get out of here soon. I promise.”

She nodded slightly, then said, “I’m sorry for breaking down like that.”

“Understandable,” Jack told her.

“It’s just that…,” she stopped, apparently unable to go on. Daniel wasn’t sure if it was because she didn’t want to or because she didn’t have the right words. She was so mixed up, he realized, as he watched Jack reach out to push her hair out of her face in an effort to see her more clearly.

“Listen to me, Carter,” Jack said. “You have every right to be upset. Don’t bottle it in, okay?” Sam nodded again, and Daniel hoped she wasn’t just agreeing with him to make the guy happy. “We’re going to get out of here,” Jack insisted, as he gave Sam a small smile. “We just have to go on with our plans and make our move when the time is right.” He looked over at Daniel, with determination in his eyes. “Do you still have the radio?”

Daniel nodded, as he watched Jack go from a sympathizer one minute, to a seasoned leader the next. This was something Daniel was glad to see. He hadn’t realized how much he’d depended on this aspect of Jack O’Neill until the man actually went into his commander mode.

“Good,” he said, as he stood up. “You get out there and go dig up zucchini or whatever it is you do, while Teal’c and I go pretend we’re busy… or whatever it is he’s supposed to be doing…” He shook his head as if to clear it, then turned to Sam. “Carter, you stay here and try to rest.”

Sam had other ideas. “I’m fine, sir… Jack,” she said, as she tried to sit up, then thought better of it and lay back down. Daniel and Jack smiled at each other over the expanse of her back, both knowing her change of heart stemmed more from the fact that she was naked from the waist up than from the pain. “All I’m required to do is to sit while I work on the fan I am building for Reymes,” she went on, “And that doesn’t required anything more than sitting at a table.”

“Stay here and rest,” Jack insisted.

“I’m fine. I just need you all to leave so that I can get dressed.”

“I’m making it an order, Major.”

If Jack was trying to get his way through intimidation, Sam was not the least bit impressed. “Daniel, will you hand me my shirt?”

The look on Jack’s face was priceless. Daniel couldn’t stop grinning as he grabbed the shirt and gave it to her. Sam grinned back at him, taking the shirt from him and proceeded to try to wriggle into it while still lying on her stomach.

“Uh… excuse me,” Jack said, as the look on his face turned to mock bewilderment. “You all might think this is a trick question, but have any of you seen Samantha Carter?” His voice turned threatening as he added, “I could have sworn that the ‘Major’ was here a few minutes ago.”

“I’ll be okay, ‘Jack’,” Sam said, exonerating any court martial sins with the emphasis she put on his name. It was a subtle reminder that while they were slaves on this planet, he really didn’t have any authority over her. She had him over a barrel and Daniel loved every minute of it.

But Daniel had temporarily forgotten Jack’s stubbornness. “We may have to keep up pretenses while we are here, ‘Major’,” Jack said, “But we both know the consequences of disobeying a direct order.”

Daniel had been following this conversation with quite a bit of interest. Even though he agreed with Jack, he hoped that Sam would stick to her guns. It would do her a world of good. But Sam did know the consequences. “Yes sir,” she said angrily, leaving Daniel a little disappointed.

“Just rest until we come and get you,” Jack said, his voice softening now that he had gotten his way. “Okay?”

Sam gave him a dejected nod, while Daniel seriously considered hitting the jerk. “Nice going, Jack,” he snarled.

“She needs to rest, Daniel,” Jack responded, apparently knowing what Daniel’s beef was.

“More like you needed to win,” Daniel said, anger making him say things he would normally never have dreamed of.

Jack had been walking toward the door, but he stopped and turned to Daniel. “What?”

“What?” Daniel asked, even though he knew exactly what Jack was saying. Jack stared at him for a moment, but Daniel wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction.

Jack must have decided to not push it, for whatever reason, and asked, “You coming?”

“Give me a minute,” Daniel said. Jack nodded, then walked toward the door, with Joseph trailing close behind him. Teal’c bowed his head, which added fuel to the anger building inside Daniel. Teal’c hadn’t even tried to help Sam out there. He watched as Teal’c followed Jack out the door, then turned toward Sam, hoping to ease her inner turmoil. “He’s a jerk,” he told Sam, which caused her to smile at him.

“Sometimes,” she said, as she struggled to sit up. She had her back to him, and Daniel stared at the cuts on her back as she worked the shirt onto her arms.

“Here, let me help you with that,” he said, making his way over the bed until he was sitting next to her.

“I can do it,” she grumbled.

“Yeah, and I can help you,” he insisted. She gave in and pulled her arms away from her body so that the shirt was not held so tight across her breasts. He tried not to look when he helped her with the shirt, but he got a full view of her breasts and he remembered the softness of them when he had cupped them in his hands. “We’ll get out of here soon,” he told her, hoping to chase away the thoughts that were trying to surface.

“The sooner the better,” she agreed. They finally got the shirt on, with a few grunts and whimpers coming from Sam. Daniel sat next to her on the bed, their backs to the door, while Daniel tried one more time to apologize.

“Can you forgive me?”

Sam nodded as she looked over at him with a small smile. “They stopped hurting me, didn’t they?” Daniel grinned back at Sam, who laid her head on his shoulder. “I’m just glad you thought of something.”

“Daniel,” Jack called from the door, “What’s the holdup?” Both Daniel and Sam turned to look at him, then looked back at each other as Daniel gave her an apologetic look.

“I’ll see you later,” he promised. Sam nodded at him, giving him a small smile. He walked over to Jack, who was obviously trying to pretend that nothing was wrong, but Daniel now knew what Jack was hiding behind that bland expression. The man was in love with Samantha Carter, and Daniel decided to do something about getting those two together. He just had to figure out how to do it without breaking his promise to Sam.

“You coming, Jack?” he asked innocently, as Jack stood there looking at Sam.

“Yeah. I’m right behind you.”

“Good. Let’s go.” Daniel walked out the door, then smiled when he realized Jack hadn’t followed. Very good, he thought, with a satisfied smile.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Jack was doing his best to keep his emotions and feelings to himself. But it had been hard not to let go when he had come back in to get Daniel, only to find Sam resting her head on his shoulder. Memories slammed Jack with a force that had him gritting his teeth in anger. It used to be his shoulder Sam used for a pillow. He was able to swallow the anger and act like nothing was wrong when he had gotten Daniel’s attention, but it had been a true test of his strength. What he really wanted was to rip Daniel’s head off.

“Get some rest, Carter,” he told Sam, when he realized that he was still standing there staring at her. She was sitting on the bed, turned slightly so that she could face him, and Jack had to squelch the sudden urge to go over to her to hold her until he could chase away all her demons.

“I will,” she said. Jack stood there for a moment more, trying to find the words to apologize for his little act of macho madness. It was just that he’d had it with everyone telling him that he had no control over anything, and Carter’s act of defiance had been the last straw. She had no idea how much he regretted his words once they had been said.

“I guess I’ll be getting out there,” he said instead, mentally kicking himself for being such a coward. She needed to rest, he told himself to justify his unwillingness to apologize. “The kids are missing me already.”

She smiled at him, sending warmth through his heart that he had been afraid he’d lost forever. Apparently, she wasn’t too mad at him. That thought had him grinning. He stared at her a moment longer before turning to walk out the door. She also had no idea how much he loved her.

Daniel and Teal’c were waiting for him just outside the door, and Jack studiously ignored Daniel’s smirk. He led the way as they walked toward the children’s ward, where Daniel would then leave them to head for the gardens, while Teal’c would go wherever the guards went when they weren’t guarding. Jack was going to have to talk quickly, judging by the glares they were getting from a few of the guards who were patrolling the area between the tent and the children’s ward. They had been spending a lot of time with Sam, and Jack figured that he and his friends were pushing their luck as it was. They needed to stay out of trouble for just a while longer. The plan was to get out of that place, and Jack wanted nothing to interfere with that plan.

“Hammond should be definitely trying to contact us today, if he hasn’t tried before,” he said, after looking around to make sure he wouldn’t be overheard. “Daniel, make sure you tell him what’s going on and that we need backup.” Daniel nodded as he, too, kept a watchful eye on their surroundings. “Teal’c,” Jack said, turning his attention to the big guy. “What were you able to find out?”

“The guards are afraid of Reymes and will do whatever it takes to keep him happy. Reymes has the power to inflict agonizing pain on anyone he chooses, although he only punishes the guards and his personal slaves. The punishment is extremely effective. He only has to think of inflicting pain on the victim to cause excruciating agony.”

Jack wasn’t sure what that meant, but he thought he would try to clarify it anyway. “He just has to think it?”

“That is correct, O’Neill. However, having the power to inflict pain by thought alone has a terrible side effect for Reymes. His thinking and mental capabilities are impaired to the point of insanity. After he had used the technique on me and the guard who had tried to kill you, he appeared to be quite insane.”

“He used the technique on you?” Jack had to ask, grimacing as he tried to imagine it. It couldn’t be that bad if someone was just thinking of hurting a person, could it? Then Teal’c’s other words clicked in. “He used the punishment on Bransen?” Oh yeah, Jack thought wickedly. It couldn’t have happened to a better guy.

“He did,” Teal’c confirmed. “He wanted to prove to me that the power he has over his guards was valid. It was extremely painful and I have no desire to go through that again.”

“So, once he uses that power, his thinking is off?” Daniel asked, apparently working out his own scenarios.

“Yes.”

“We can use that against him,” Jack said, voicing his thoughts out loud. “What about getting past the guards at the gate?”

“It would be easier to get through the exit of the compound in the evening. There are not that many guards guarding it when most of the slaves are sleeping. We would have to take extra precaution when we do, to make sure Daniel Jackson and Major Carter can leave their quarters without being noticed.”

“You weren’t so concerned for Sam when they were whipping her,” Daniel said bitterly. Teal’c didn’t respond right away to Daniel’s accusation, but Jack didn’t think they really had the time to go over this. They had reached the children’s ward, and there really wasn’t an excuse for the three of them to stand around talking.

“Daniel,” he began, but Teal’c finally decided to face this head on.

“If I had come to her rescue, what would happen to my status as a guard?”

“Is that so important to you?” Daniel asked. “That you are a guard instead of a slave?”

“As a guard, I have the opportunity to acquire the information needed to enable us to escape. Would you have me give that up to spare Major Carter?” Daniel stood there with a mutinous look on his face, causing Teal’c to continue with his own defense. “My actions will have hopefully enforced the guards’ belief that I have become one of them. This will work in our favor when the time comes for us to escape.”

“Teal’c did the right thing, Daniel,” Jack jumped in to help out. He well remembered many times when he’d had to work to keep up pretenses to further his cause, even when it meant alienating his friends. “He’s our inside man. It would have served no purpose for him to have jeopardized that position.” Daniel seemed to accept the explanations, but Jack wasn’t so sure. “Besides, we have bigger things to worry about.”

“Oh yeah? What’s that?” Daniel asked.

Crap, Jack thought, as he saw one of the guards heading their way. It seemed their conversation was going to be cut short after all. “Somebody has it out for Sam,” he told his friends, as he eyed the guard. He then looked at both men, realizing that neither one had thought about the real issue here. “She’s not bleeding, yet there was blood on her sheet. Who put that blood there?”


	14. Chapter 14

It took a while for Sam to find a comfortable position after her teammates had left. The cuts and welts inflicted by the whip made it impossible for her to lie on her back, so she ended up lying on her stomach, which brought back memories of the night before when she had played the seductress to get that promise from Daniel. She was a little embarrassed by her behavior, but the end results made it all worth it. She had enjoyed it just as much as Daniel did, but it was Daniel’s admission that he really didn’t love her “that way” that made her actions worthwhile. She had been so afraid he would be the one to suffer the most when this was all over.

She lay there in pain, feeling every last one of the cuts and bruises on her back, while at the same time, luxuriating in the feel of the clean sheet on her skin. The bedding had been changed by the time she was brought in, so she didn’t get to see the incriminating evidence of her inability to produce a child. But all the guards were insistent that there was blood on the sheet. Sam couldn’t help but wonder if they had lied just to see her be punished. She closed her eyes as she lay on her bed, wondering why anyone would want to lie about that, or put the blood on her sheet to incriminate her. The only person she could think of that could possibly be that mad at her was the woman in the kitchen who had burst out in tears the first day Sam got there. Was this something she did in retaliation?

It could be anyone, Sam realized, anyone with a grudge. She just wished she knew who it was. How can she fight back, if she didn’t know who to defend herself against?

The adrenalin that had been racing through her veins from the moment she had been dragged up off her seat was finally wearing off, leaving Sam a little drowsy, too drowsy to deal with her fears and her anger at a certain Colonel who was a borderline control freak.

Okay. That was not a fair assessment, she thought with a sigh. Jack was only looking out for her best interests, but it still rankled that he had to choose that moment to “flex his muscles”, to show her who’s the boss. And ever the soldier, Sam Carter gave in. Between answering to the guards and giving into Jack O’Neill, Sam wondered if she was ever going to get her freedom back.

Better to not dwell on it, she thought, as she lay there in the quiet tent. The silence calmed her, and she was just nodding off when her escort from the day before showed up. “Get up,” the young guard insisted. “Lord Reymes wants to know of your progress.”

“Right,” Sam said, as she gingerly sat up. The cuts on her back hurt as she did so, but not as badly as it could have been. The guards had whipped that other poor woman half to death. Sam was grateful to Daniel for his idea, even if it was the most humiliating experience of her life. She shuddered, causing more pain, as she remembered the feel of the overseer’s fingers digging deep inside of her in his overeager attempt to find blood. It was a vivid memory that just wouldn’t leave her alone. She remembered how he had stared into her eyes as he slid his hand across her flesh, and Sam couldn’t help but think that he had the most beautiful eyes, even as she hated him for the intrusion of his fingers. The conflicting thoughts made things easier, as she had then been able to distance herself as she wondered what in the world had she been thinking. The man was an overseer, which made him an enemy, especially when he had taken his time in his search. She should hate him, not admire his eyes.

But she was not able to completely distance herself from the invasion. She had watched his expression when he had put his hand into her pants, and she had tensed up when his fingers pushed their way into her core. She had jerked away from his touch at that point, involuntarily pulling away from the intrusion, and still his expression showed no feeling. It was if he was just doing his job, nothing more. This bothered Sam. She had expected him to grin wickedly at her, but his expression made him seem less evil.

The feel of his fingers as they probed deep within her was still fresh in her mind when she had washed herself right after her team had left. There were several basins sitting on a table, set up specifically for the slaves to use when they awoke in the morning and Sam made use of one of them, scrubbing herself diligently in an effort to erase the feel of the overseer’s fingers.

And now she was faced with the possibility of another assault with another guard, at least that’s what it seemed like. The guard that was now standing at the end of her bed stared at her in a way that was totally inappropriate, as far as she was concerned. He was practically leering at her, which caused Sam to push herself up off the bed in an effort to ward off his thoughts. “I’m ready,” she said, as she walked past him to lead the way. She could only hope that Jack would see that she had no choice in the matter of disobeying his order. She thought that maybe he would, especially since she was with a guard.

The guard followed her out, but came up to walk beside her as they made their way to the main building. She looked over at the yard in front of the children’s ward, shrugging her shoulders slightly when Jack looked over at her, hoping to tell him that this wasn’t her fault. She couldn’t tell what his thoughts were on her predicament, but she couldn’t go over to do any explaining either. So she continued to head off toward her makeshift lab, all the while wondering if she could convince her escort to allow her to have a little talk with Jack later on. This way she could explain why she wasn’t resting and still make an attempt to heal the rift between him and Daniel.

“Hurry,” the guard demanded. He grabbed her arm and pulled her along, causing her to cry out in pain. She glared at the young guard, who was now giving her an apologetic look, but still continued to pull her along. “Lord Reymes wants a status report now. We must not keep him waiting.”

Seeing Reymes was not at the top of Sam’s list of things she wanted, but she followed the guard, picking up her pace to keep him from pulling on her arm again. They stopped at the entrance so that he could go through the ritual all the guards went through. Sam couldn’t help but wonder if Teal’c did the same when he had to enter the building. She decided against asking, although she was just as curious as to why the slaves weren’t expected to do so.

But it was time to face the piper. They walked down the hallway, while Sam dreaded the meeting with every step she took. She had put more effort into the radio than she had with the fan, and now she was going to have to convince Reymes that she needed more time. She could only hope that he wouldn’t think she needed another punishment. Her guard had told her what Reymes could do and she didn’t want to have to deal with that. She wasn’t sure she believed the part about Reymes hurting people by thought alone, but then again the man that had been writhing on the floor didn’t show any signs of physical abuse either.

Sam stood in front of Reymes, watching as he sat back in his chair, while he lazily took inventory of her appearance. His eyes raked her from head to toe, before coming back up to settle on her face, giving Sam the impression that this man knew more than she gave him credit for. His overseers must report to him on an hourly basis, she thought, as she waited to be acknowledged.

“Are you breeding?” he asked, surprising Sam. She had thought she was there because of the fan.

“I am not sure, my Lord,” she said, proud of herself for being able to keep up the pretense. What she really wanted to do was tell him where to shove it. “I hope that I am.”

“It is your sworn duty to produce another slave to add to my kingdom,” he told her. She didn’t know what to say to that, so she kept her silence. He seemed to accept her silence, as he continued to watch her, although his gaze was starting to make her nervous. She wished she knew what he was thinking.

“Where is this device that you promised me?” he suddenly asked. This was more like it, Sam thought, as she geared up to give him her excuses. At least he was no longer thinking of her in terms of a breeder.

“I’m almost finished with it. I just need to do a little more work on building the motor, then divert the power from the alternative source I found in the…ow!” she yelped, as she turned her glare onto the young guard who had jabbed his stick into her ribs. He gave her a pointed look, and Sam realized that she had gone off on a tangent again. She scowled at him once more, then turned her attention to Reymes. “I should have it ready for you by midday, my Lord.”

Reymes grinned at their antics, then nodded his head. “Bring it to me when it is finished. I wish to see for myself that you were not lying to me.” His eyes had darkened, as he stared at her, giving her the impression that he was angry with her. She stood there wondering what she should apologize for, then breathed a sigh of relief when he waved his hand to indicate that they should leave. Her head was starting to hurt, and she just wanted to get out of that place.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The sky had darkened when Sam was finally free to leave the building later that afternoon. She had presented Reymes with the fan, which pleased him so much that he had demanded she build him something else to make his life more comfortable. Sam had to do some fast thinking to come up with another “invention”. He was intrigued with her idea of building a pump that would bring water into his palace, and he had decreed that she should start on it right away, much to the chagrin of her guard. It was apparent that he didn’t want to have to spend any more time with her than he had to. Sitting around watching her work was way too boring, or so he said when he complained to the overseer.

The overseer didn’t seem to care what the young guard thought. Both Sam and the guard had to clear her new duties with the overseer and Sam tried not to show any weaknesses in front of the man who had violated her privacy so thoroughly. He didn’t sneer at her, in fact, it appeared as if he was as embarrassed as she was, but Sam knew better than to let down her guard. He’d already shown her that he would not hesitate to beat the crap out of her. He would turn on her in a heartbeat if the situation arose, and she was not about to give him a reason to do so.

So she stood there quietly, trying not to show her anger at what he had done to her, while her escort, practically begged to be given another job. “I could stand guard at the gate,” he insisted. “You were pleased with my performance…”

“Perhaps you could stand guard in the kitchen,” the overseer threatened, causing the young guard to turn pale.

“I’ll stay with Sam,” the young guard said hastily. Sam could relate to that response. She hated working in the hot, sweaty kitchen, as well.

The overseer nodded, apparently expecting that response. He then turned to Sam to ask, “What do you require to build this pump?”

Sam straightened her spine, defiantly refusing to let any weaknesses show through her expression. “I will need some type of casing in which to house the rotor, as well as some rubber to construct a diaphragm. I think a diaphragm pump would probably be the simplest and the most efficient way to go, especially since I will be working with a limited power source.” Both men were staring at her with concern, and Sam figured she should go into more detail to help them understand. “You see, a diaphragm pump usually has a compartment with enough air compression to force the inner mechanism to pump the water out through…”

“Do we have what you need in the maintenance room?” the overseer asked, apparently not even remotely interested in the mechanics of a diaphragm pump. Sam shook her head to answer his question, while at the same time, wondering why she even tried to explain this stuff to people. Most people always just cut her off at the pass.

“I can use some of the parts stored in the maintenance room, but I will have to do some scavenging to find the casing and some rubber or a similar material to make the diaphragm,” she said, a little miffed at him for his interruption. “I was hoping that I would be allowed to look around the compound to see if I can find what I need.”

“Compound?” the overseer asked, anger moving in. “This is Lord Reymes’ kingdom. You would do well to remember that.”

Wonderful, Sam thought, so much for keeping her guard up. “You are right,” she hurried to apologize. “I won’t forget again.”

The overseer stared at her for a moment, and Sam hoped he would believe her. Apparently he did, as he nodded his head to indicate that they should leave. “See to it that she finds what she needs,” he demanded.

Sam’s guard nodded, albeit a little reluctantly, then turned to leave. She moved to follow him, but stopped and turned toward the overseer. He gave her a questioning look, while Sam stood there debating on whether she should ask him if she could go talk to Jack. She wanted nothing more than to make Jack understand just what was going on between the three of them, and to help heal the rift between him and Daniel, but she wasn’t sure how to find the time to talk to him privately. The young guard wasn’t going to give her the opportunity to ask anything, because he immediately grabbed her arm to pull her along. Agony raced across Sam’s back, causing her to cry out. She pulled away, while glaring at her tormentor, who didn’t seem to care.

“You will come away with me now!” he demanded, reminding her with his attitude that she was just a slave and she would be better off doing as she was told. She nodded at him, knowing that his attitude was brought on mainly to impress the overseer, but she still wanted to slap him into the next galaxy anyway.

“All right,” she told him, then decided to just take a chance. She turned to the overseer and posed the question before her courage left her for good. “May I visit with Jack sometime today?”

The overseer gaped, while the young guard hissed at her. Okay, this was not good. She was just about to apologize and beat a hasty retreat, figuring it really wasn’t that important, when the overseer nodded his head, shocking both Sam and her guard, whose eyes nearly bugged out. Sam had been convinced that she was about to be killed for her impetuous question, so she was fully prepared to apologize all over the man. But he had agreed and her shock turned into pleasure. She tried to hide her smile as she bowed her head in gratitude, hoping to keep from antagonizing the man into changing his mind. “Thank you.”

“You deserve it after what you went through today.”

It was Sam’s turn to gape, as she tried to figure out what he was telling her. Surely he was not apologizing for what he had done. He was an overseer. It was his job to make sure the slaves did as they were told, when they were told. Apologizing was not something an overseer would do, yet his statement definitely sound like one to Sam. Something was definitely not right in Reymes ‘kingdom’ and Sam wondered, for what seemed like the thousandth time, just what was going on.

“Thank you,” she said again, still too stunned to think of anything else to say, but not willing to let him change his mind. She really did want to talk to Jack.

The overseer turned at that point and left them both standing there. The young guard waited until the man was out of range, then started in on her. “You were lucky,” he scolded. “What were you thinking? I am surprised he didn’t put you back up on that crossbeam.”

“I guess I wasn’t thinking about the consequences,” she told him, hoping to pacify him long enough to get him to back off. “Let’s go look for something to put the pump in. What did you say your name was?”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Sam got her opportunity to talk with Jack later that afternoon. She had found some metal containers that held some possibility toward becoming a pump, and she and Lucan, her young guard, took it back to the maintenance room to set it up. By the time she had found something to convert into a makeshift welding torch, Lucan announced that he was thoroughly bored and wanted to go out to get some air.

Sam wholeheartedly agreed with him and followed him out to the yard, then worried that he would insist on staying with her while she visited with Jack. Relief set in when he told her to stay in the children’s yard until he got back, then took off toward the other side of the compound to talk with a female guard. Sam grinned when she saw who he was heading toward. The guard apparently figured to go after someone near his own age.

Sam turned toward the children’s yard, but as she walked toward Jack, she noticed that he wasn’t alone. Another woman sat with him on the grass, causing Sam to wonder whether she should talk to him about Daniel now. She wasn’t sure she could trust the woman, although Jack seemed to be at ease with her. He was smiling at her, leaving Sam to wonder just what was going on between the two.

But she couldn’t back down now. There was no better time than the present, she told herself. She smiled at Jack when he looked up, hoping to ease the way into her explanations as to why she was not resting as he had commanded. He nodded his head in greeting, but didn’t return the smile.

“Hi Jack,” she said. “Am I interrupting anything?”

“No. Please join us,” the woman responded instead. She was sitting next to Jack with a baby on her lap and two more sleeping on the ground next to her. She was nursing the baby, which left Sam a little uncomfortable. The woman apparently didn’t mind people watching her as she nursed the child.

“Have a seat,” Jack invited, waving his hand to indicate the ground next to him. Sam glanced at the woman once more, than sat down next to Jack on the grass. “This is Elda. She was telling me about the animals that live on the planet where she is from.” Elda smiled at her, and Sam warmed up to her. She seemed like a nice person, judging by the smile Jack sent her way. If he liked Elda, Sam figured she had to be okay.

“Hello Sam,” Elda said, surprising Sam a little. Jack hadn’t introduced them, but apparently he didn’t have to. “Janna speaks very highly of you,” Elda explained. Sam nodded. Janna was one of the women who shared the tent she and Daniel slept in, and in fact, was the one who told her about the potion that the guards drank down. Sam grinned a little when she remembered Daniel’s remark that Jack should be glad he was babysitting.

“How are you feeling?” Jack asked, his voice carrying a hint of anger, which prompted Sam to go on the defensive.

“I’m feeling much better. I tried to rest, but Lord Reymes had other ideas.” She tried looking into his eyes to see if he understood her message, but he turned to stare out at the kids who were plucking at pieces of grass. “I can’t defy my master, can I?” she added, with a trace of anger in her voice.

He turned suddenly and stared at her, almost as if he was trying to determine something. She smiled at him, a little confused at what it was he wanted, but he didn’t push it. He turned to stare out at the children again, while Sam sat there, wanting to ask what was going on, but not willing to trust Elda just yet.

Elda took the hint, at least it seemed that way when she pulled the baby away from her breast and laid him down on the grass next to the others, then proceeded to straighten her shirt as she stood up. “I’ll just leave you two alone to talk,” she said. Sam smiled at her, while Elda turned to Jack. “I’ll be back to help bring the children in when it starts to rain.” Jack nodded at her, then turned his attention toward Sam.

“I didn’t have a choice, Jack,” Sam insisted, before he got the chance to say anything.

“I know that. I saw the way that kid yanked your arm to get you to follow him.”

She gave him a relieved smile, glad that he understood. “That hurt,” she complained good-naturedly.

“I wanted to go over there and kick his ass.” Sam’s smile grew wider at his grumbling. At least he wasn’t mad at her anymore.

“It’s a good thing you didn’t. I don’t want you to die on my account.”

He stared at her in surprise, but then hid his expression behind his words. “The guards aren’t allowed to kill the slaves. Didn’t you know that?”

“Really? They sure had me fooled.”

“Really,” he confirmed, as he turned to watch the children pull up the blades of grass. The wind had picked up along with the threat of rain, and Sam watched as it rifled through his hair, teasing the short strands along his forehead. He was so handsome, yet so distant and sadness filled her soul as she sat there staring at him. How she hated the fact that she was not allowed to tell him her feelings.

“Will you get in trouble for being here with me?” he asked.

Sam shook her head to not only answer his question, but to ward off the melancholy that had been creeping up on her. “I got permission to come visit with you.”

“Oh yeah? How’d you manage that?”

“I asked.”

He nodded vaguely at her as he processed that response. “You asked.” Sam grinned at his disbelief. It was obvious that he wasn’t buying her story. She nodded and he gave in. “Why?”

“Why what?” The man could be so confusing sometimes.

“Why did you want to come visit me?”

“Because we need to talk,” she said in an effort to keep her cool. Why wouldn’t she want to visit with him?

“Nothing to talk about Carter,” he responded.

“I want to talk to you about Daniel.” She had been right. He was still mad at Daniel. The look on his face turned as stormy as the clouds that hovered over their heads, and Sam worried that he was going to start yelling at her.

“What about him?” he growled. Sam decided to tread carefully from that point on. She knew from first hand experience what this man was capable of when he was angry. But he was a master at hiding his emotions, and it hadn’t taken him long to hide everything away, acting as if nothing was wrong. This was worse than the angry expression. At least she knew what she was up against when she could tell what his thoughts were by the look on his face.

“He’s not at fault here,” she said, as she watched him warily. “He’s only doing what needs to be done to keep me safe.”

“I know. And I’m glad. Hey you two. Cut that out!” Sam looked over at the two children who had captured Jack’s attention. A little boy had been pulling on the hair of another child, but Jack’s voice had stopped him in the act. Unfortunately, the other child started to cry, which had Jack rolling his eyes at Sam in frustration.

“Babysitting,” he grouched, causing Sam to smile. She watched as the child came over to sit next to Jack, who pulled the child into a hug, calming the tears and stopping any screams that could bring guards to set things straight. Jack was a natural with children, a fact that Sam had learned a long time ago. Both Cassandra and Charlie, the Re’tu boy, had been prime examples of the loyalty Jack garnered from the children he encountered. The overseer had chosen the right job for Jack, even if Jack did resent his position.

Sam smiled at the little boy as he peeked up at her with tear filled eyes. He was a cute kid, much more expressive than Joseph, who watched from his seat in front of them. Joseph was pulling up grass along with the rest of the children, quietly minding his own business. He was a beautiful child, Sam realized. With his wide gray eyes and light brown hair, his somber expression reminded Sam of the tragedies he must have lived through. She turned her smile onto Joseph, who got up and came over to sit in her lap. To say she was surprised at this turn of events was an understatement at best. Joseph usually clung to Jack.

She looked over at Jack, giving him a helpless look, then smiled back at him when he grinned at her. He gave the little boy in his lap one last hug, then turned to Sam. “You’re a natural with kids,” he told her. Her smile turned to a look of surprise at that statement. What made him think that? She looked down at Joseph, then shook her head to negate Jack’s beliefs.

“Not really,” she admitted. “I mean just because I get along with Cassie and my brother’s kids, doesn’t mean that I’m good with them. And you can’t count Marin,” she told him when she saw that he didn’t believe her. “She and I shared a love of physics and laser technology…” She stopped then, realizing that she was rambling in her embarrassment at being complimented, then shook her head with a laugh. “I like kids sometimes, even thought about having some of my own in the future…” Okay Sam, she thought, as she realized she was still rambling, stop while you are ahead. Jack was sitting there quietly, letting her ramble, and she realized that she had gotten off the subject she really wanted to talk about. She had her suspicions that this is what Jack wanted, but she could be stubborn when she wanted to be. “Sorry about that. Now can we talk about Daniel and you?”

“There’s nothing to talk about, Sam. As long as you don’t let your relationship interfere with your performance as a Major, I don’t have a problem.” Sam stared at him for a minute, debating on whether she should just slap him and be done with it. She’d much rather face a court martial than to have to deal with his little innuendoes. Her performance as a Major hadn’t been an issue when she and Jack had been dealing with their ‘non-relationship’.

“There’s nothing going on between Daniel and I,” she gritted out, anger rising up at his accusations. How dare he question her ability as an officer! “We talked about it last night and realized that we will always remain friends.”

“Friends?” he asked, his own anger showing through. “You’re sleeping with him. You do that with all your friends? Maybe I should…” He stopped then, his face registering his horror and his shame, then hurriedly tried to apologize. “God Sam, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

Sam didn’t answer right away. She sat there and stared at him, stunned to the core that he would say something so harsh. “We don’t have a choice,” she said, pain chipping away at her heart. His words hurt just as much as the whip. Oh what’s the use? It was apparent that he was going to hang on to his own pain, and Sam decided to let him get on with it. “I guess I should be going,” she snapped.

“No!” he said, stopping her from lifting Joseph up off her lap so that she could leave Jack to his self-pity. She stopped and waited for him to say something, but he was now at a loss for words. Typical of him, she thought angrily. She smiled at Joseph through her anger, and made to get up. Jack had other ideas though, as he reached over to stop her by putting his hand on her arm. “Don’t go just yet,” he said. “Please.”

Sam sat there, stiff and unyielding, trying desperately to hide the hurt that had manifested in her heart. He had no right to insinuate that she was a whore. She knew it was anger making him say those things, but the words had hurt her badly.

“Look, I’m sorry,” he told her again. “I thought I was over it, but I guess…” He turned to face her head on, his fingers reaching up to touch her cheek, but Sam was now leery of his intentions. She pulled back from his touch, waiting to hear what he was going to say before letting her guard down. He gave a dejected nod at her refusal to let him near, then tried to smile. “Do you remember those feelings I told you about when we were sitting by ourselves in Administrator Caulder’s underground world?” Sam nodded, a small smile escaping her as she remembered his feeble attempts to tell her that he cared more for her than she had thought. Although they had spent a few stolen hours consummating their relationship during the weeks they were living there, it wasn’t until he had told her of his feelings from a “previous life” that she really understood how much she loved him. His words had made her feel better about their brief encounters of love making, and she had told him so at the time.

“I still have those feelings,” he continued, as he stared into her eyes. Sam wanted to cry, but she nodded at him instead, knowing his words to be true. He had always tried to hide those feelings from her and the rest of the world, but Sam knew his secret, just as he knew hers.

Silence fell between them. Sam couldn’t speak over the lump in her throat, so she looked out toward the main building, wishing they could act out on their feelings. She was glad that she had that time with Daniel, loving him with her body while forging a bond of friendship that would never be broken, but the situation had forced her to come to terms with her inner feelings of love for her commanding officer. She loved him and she would never have him, but worse still was the fact that she was faced with pretending they were just teammates for God knew how many years to come. Sam wasn’t sure if she would be able to keep up the pretenses for much longer.

“This last week has been hard on me,” Jack said, apparently thinking she hadn’t forgiven him for his cruel words. “I tried to pretend, but I guess this was just too much for me to put behind me.” Sam waited, wondering where this conversation was leading. Was he going to confess to his feelings again? “I hate it that it’s my friend you’re sleeping with,” he admitted, his voice laced with sadness.

“I know,” Sam said, as she stared into his eyes. He was sincere in his words; she knew that, just as she knew how hard it was for him to talk to her about his feelings. But she still had a mission to accomplish. “This is just as hard on Daniel,” she told him, wondering if he had even thought about that. Apparently, he hadn’t, judging by the look of surprise on his face. Typical, she thought angrily. “Any point on the triangle could be considered the middle, meaning Daniel is dealing with just as much pain and anger as we are.” He now had a thoughtful look on his face, but Sam wanted to make sure he understood. “Daniel told me that we are like family to him, yet here he is forced to do something to tear that family apart. This is destroying him, Jack, and it’s destroying me to know that our friendships don’t really mean a thing.”

“Then we don’t let it,” Jack said. Sam stared at him, wondering if things really could be that simple. He would have to let go of his jealousy, as well as forgive both her and Daniel, and Sam wondered if he really was willing to do that. “We make a great team,” he added with a smile. “And since it’s obvious that I still have those feelings for you, I can now tell you that I don’t want anything to destroy you.” Sam was blushing now, and he laughed at her reaction. “You’re adorable when you blush like that.” She grinned at that remark, knowing that he was just teasing her. But more importantly, for the first time since Reymes decreed that she and Daniel produce a future slave, Sam really believed that things could go back to normal between the members of SG-1, especially between the three of them. Now all she had to do was to keep the peace between them until they could escape.

“My name is Sam too,” a little girl said, as she plucked up a handful of grass. Sam stared at the child, who was smiling at her as she worked. “Jack calls me that,” the child explained.

“Really?” Sam asked, as she turned to look at Jack. He gave her a guilty grin while he shrugged his shoulders and Sam gave him an encouraging look.

“She reminds me of you, okay?” Jack said innocently. Sam was now curious. She went back to staring at the child to see if she could find a resemblance. The little girl had brown eyes and curly red hair, almost the complete opposite of Sam, who gave up and looked over at Jack with a questioning look in her eyes. “She likes to beat up on kids that are bigger than her,” he said, as if that was all he needed to say. Sam kept staring at him, waiting for the rest, but he grinned and put up his fists in front of his face, then moved his shoulders back and forth while waving his fists about as if he was waiting to throw a punch. It was all she could do to keep from laughing at his antics.

“I do not like to beat up on kids,” she insisted with a grin. He grinned back at her, but Sam’s attention was drawn to a low rumbling sound that reverberated through the air. It was a familiar sound, and she looked up toward the sky hoping that she was right. Jack jumped up to do his own searching and Sam struggled to get up to stand next to him. The noise grew louder, but Sam couldn’t see anything past the dark clouds that hovered over him. “Do you see it?” she asked, her heart racing with the implications of what she was hearing.

“No,” Jack said, his gaze moving off to the distance.

“What is it?” Elda asked, as she came over to stand next to Sam. Sam looked over at her, noticing for the first time that people all over the compound had stopped to see what was going on. Even the children were following Jack’s gaze and were looking up to find whatever it was Jack was looking for.

“There!” he shouted, causing Sam to look up just in time to see a UAV flying overhead, its silver body a bright contrast to the dark gray clouds that had filled the sky. “Yesss!” he yelled, his voice filled with enough excitement to keep Sam’s heart going for a month. Sam smiled at his enthusiasm, as she watched the UAV fly off into the distance, then turned to smile at her commanding officer.

But her smile dimmed as she saw the look on his face. He was no longer smiling as he stared at Elda and Joseph. His expression now showed sadness and defeat. Sam’s brow wrinkled in confusion as she wondered what he was thinking. They were about to be saved, why would he be staring at Elda like that?

Elda was also at a total loss, Sam realized, as she took in the other woman’s expression. Elda was looking back at Jack with a confused smile on her face, obviously sharing in the joy he had experienced, but not sure why. “What is it?” Elda asked.

Sam didn’t respond. She stood there watching as Jack closed down on his feelings. It was fascinating to watch, one second he was experiencing extreme defeat and despair, then the next he was acting as if nothing was going on. His expression was bland, as he gave Elda a weak smile, then told her, “Just an unidentified flying object. Pretty cool, don’t you think?”

Elda nodded, although Sam could tell she was still at a loss as to what was going on. But Sam had finally figured it out. Jack had realized just what the presence of the UAV meant. Sure, it meant that SG-1 was just another step closer to being rescued, but it also meant there was a possibility that he would be leaving Elda and Joseph behind. Sam could understand his feelings toward the boy who had practically adopted Jack, but now she was left to wondering just what really was going on between Jack and Elda.

She worked on getting past the jealousy that tried to flare up, then smiled at Elda. “Men and their toys,” she said with a roll of her eyes. Elda nodded in agreement, as she smiled at Jack. Apparently, the men of her culture were the same way. Jack grunted at the remark, but didn’t reply. He just started rounding up the kids to help take them into the children’s ward to get them out of the rain.

“I’ll see you later, Sam,” he said, as huge drops of rain fell from the sky. Elda picked up one of the sleeping babies, while Jack struggled to pick up the other two. “Hopefully, Daniel got through to Hammond,” he told her, with a smile. She nodded at that, then went over to help him by taking one of the babies from him. She had noticed that he was still favoring his left arm, and she was determined to keep him from making things worse.

“I can help,” she insisted when he looked at her with surprise. He shrugged, as he turned away, while Sam followed him toward the building. She watched as he reached over to help Elda, smiling at her when she thanked him and Sam felt another tug of jealousy, which she studiously tried to squelch.

Apparently, the triangle had turned into a square.


	15. Chapter 15

Daniel sat up and stretched the kinks out of his back, cursing the fates that had left him to pulling up weeds in another man’s garden. If he had to be doing anything, he would much rather be digging up holes to plant the seedlings in, than to be pulling up stray weeds. He had spent most of his life digging up bones and other artifacts out of the ground. Digging holes to plant seedlings was almost like being back out there with a brush and other tools designed to ease ancient artifacts back into the light of day. Digging holes was like being at an archeological dig. It was an experience that Daniel truly enjoyed.

But pulling up weeds was a whole different story. The only dirt he had to sift through when tugging at the stubborn weeds was the grit that clung to the roots that he was fortunate enough to get to. There was nothing even remotely familiar with pulling weeds, like there was with digging – no fond memories of exciting finds, no memories of sifting through a pan of silt that his mother had given to him to keep him out of the way, nothing. All he had to show for his labors was an aching back and a grumpy companion.

Marain was in an extremely bad mood, and she had apparently decided to take it out on Daniel. He couldn’t do anything right, as far as she was concerned. She was constantly making snide remarks, which Daniel did his best to ignore. He didn’t know what her problem was, but he was not going to give her the satisfaction of snapping at her. He had other things to worry about.

He glanced over at the Stargate, wondering when Hammond was going to contact them. The original plan was for SG-1 to explore the area, make assessments of the resources Earth could take advantage of, and start the preliminary talks of trade - if the resources proved to be valuable and if the natives were friendly. They had agreed to contact the SGC after five days, if not sooner, with normal procedures being that Hammond would try to contact them if they didn’t check in as scheduled. This was the fifth day, and so far no one knew if Hammond had tried to contact them or what.

“The weeds will not jump up into your hands,” Marain told him angrily. “You will have to pull them in order to get the job done.”

Daniel turned to glare at her, thinking that he might as well do what he could to make her tell him what her beef was. She wasn’t going to ease up on him at all. “What is your problem?” he asked, anger making the words come out harsher than he had intended.

“I do not have a problem,” she told him. “A storm is brewing and I wish to have this job done, so that I will not be forced to work out here in the rain.”

“We will be allowed to go in,” he said, not falling for her feeble excuses at all. “Which one of these guards do you think will want to stay out here with us if we don’t?” He shook his head in denial, as frustration moved in. He should have known something would happen to keep him from talking with Hammond. “No, we won’t be out here for too long.”

Marain just scowled at him before turning her attention back to the weeds. Daniel glanced over at the Stargate again, wishing it would just activate so that they could get this show on the road. A watched pot never boils, he thought, as he turned back to the task of tugging on the stubborn weeds. He let his thoughts wander through his past, as memories of his foster mother saying that old adage flashed through his mind. Those memories brought on others, and Daniel hoped that time would move a little faster if he concentrated on something other than weeds and an inactive Stargate.

Clouds continued to roll in throughout the day, until the sky had become dark and stormy. Daniel’s anxiety grew as he began to worry that he really wasn’t going to be out there when the Stargate erupted. He had faith that General Hammond would try to contact them, but his faith ran out when he stared at the clouds hanging low in the sky. What good would it do if he was nowhere near the Stargate when Hammond called?

It was for this reason that Daniel nearly shouted with joy when the familiar sound of chevrons locking into place rang out over the field. A full day of waiting and wondering had been definitely getting on his nerves. He put his hand into his pocket for the hundredth time that day, making sure the radio was still safe, while looking around to see if anyone was watching him. Fortunately, everyone’s interest seemed to be on the Stargate, which gave Daniel the opportunity to get up and step back behind those whose attention was drawn toward the action going on in the field outside the fence.

The final chevron locked into place, causing the event horizon to shine brightly against the darkened background. Excitement and dread filled Daniel’s soul as he pulled the radio up close to his mouth. What if this wormhole didn’t come from Earth? What if the MALP that had been left by the Stargate didn’t pick up the signal or the radio didn’t work? More importantly, what if he got caught? He steeled his resolve with the last question. It didn’t matter if he got caught. As long as Hammond got the message, Daniel would be glad to take whatever punishment the guards doled out.

He pushed on a button that Sam told him should allow communication to go through, then sent up a silent prayer before going into his spiel. “This is Daniel Jackson of SG-1,” he said, hoping that it was Hammond and not a Goa’uld that had opened the wormhole. Daniel didn’t think that the Goa’uld would be able to monitor an inferior frequency, but he had learned long ago not to underestimate that race. Still, he continued to talk into the radio, hoping to get through to his own people.

“We are being held prisoners in a slave encampment and we need backup.” No answer came through when he let go of the button, but Daniel was not deterred. “We were taken prisoner right after we came through. Use precaution.” Still nothing, and Daniel was starting to get concerned. “General Hammond, if you can hear me, please send backup…”

“Who are you talking to?” Daniel’s heart nearly stopped at the question. He had been so intent on getting his message through, that he had forgotten everything else. The guard who had asked the question glared at Daniel suspiciously, while Daniel did some fast thinking.

“Nobody,” he responded, as he looked around them. Everyone else had moved away from him, leaving him alone while he had tried to make contact with Hammond. “I’m just practicing my speech in case I know the people who will be stepping out of the Stargate.” The guard wasn’t easy to fool, and Daniel became seriously concerned when the radio was snatched out of his hands.

“What is this?” the guard asked, as he turned the box over in his hands. It was apparent to Daniel that the guy didn’t know about Tau’ri communication devices, so he did his best to confuse him even more.

“It’s just a box with some knobs on it,” he said with a smile. “I’m making a toy for one of the kids, and I was just thinking out loud while I was looking at it.” Daniel couldn’t tell if the guard believed him or not, but then it didn’t matter. A UAV flew out of the wormhole at that moment, causing the others to shout and point up at it, while Daniel’s excitement knew no bounds. That UAV meant only one thing. Hammond was getting a bird’s eye view of the whole situation and a rescue team was sure to follow. It was just a matter of time now.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Dinner that night was a different experience for the members of SG-1. The atmosphere among all the slaves was usually a somber time to meet with friends as they ate, while most of them were too tired to do much more than eat and talk. But that night was different. Everyone seemed to be talking at once, filling the air with excited babble and tales of death gliders, attack ships and other flying machines that had shown up in their life at one time or another.

Jack half listened to the talk as he and Joseph made their way to a table in the corner. Daniel was fairly bursting with his news, obviously caught up in the same excitement that had everyone else hopping. Jack had barely sat down before Daniel went into his spiel, heralding his news at top speed.

“I relayed a message to Hammond, although I don’t know if he got it,” Daniel said, while Jack did his best to try to keep up. He often wondered how Daniel managed to talk so fast without tripping over his words. “A guard caught me while I was doing it though. Sam, I’m sorry, but he took the radio away from me. Even if he didn’t get the message, he had to have seen us through the UAV, right? I mean…”

“Wait. Daniel,” Sam said to stop him from going on until midnight. “You got caught? Did they hurt you?” She was now looking at him carefully, apparently trying to see if there was any indication of a beating, but Daniel shook his head.

“He only hit me a couple of times,” he said with a slight shrug, obviously thinking it wasn’t a big deal. “I’m more worried about the fact that he took the radio from me. Would anybody recognize it? Did you show it to anybody, Sam?”

“Yeah,” Sam said, as she watched him warily. “They assigned a guard to keep me company while I worked on that fan for Reymes. He would recognize it.” Her expression lightened up a little, then said, “I can tell them that you must have taken it from me to make improvements on it.” Her smile dimmed, as she stared at Daniel. “How bad was the punishment?”

“Not bad, really. Just a few bruises, that’s all.” He stared at his bowl while he said this, and Jack knew Daniel well enough to know when he was lying.

“How bad?” he asked, wondering if Daniel was going to be able to come through when it came time to escape. He hadn’t been limping or anything, but appearances could be deceiving.

“He only hit me a couple times, okay?” The anger in Daniel’s voice had Jack backing up. It was only concern that had prompted the question.

“Okay,” he said, as he put both hands in the air in an act of surrender. “I was just wondering.”

‘I’m fine,” Daniel insisted, then asked, “Do you think Hammond will send in some back up?”

“He’d better,” Jack groused, accepting the change of subject willingly. Daniel would tell him if the injuries would hamper their escape. At least Jack was pretty sure that he would. “I’m tired of this place. Besides, I missed a whole week of ‘The Simpsons’.” Sam smiled at that, giving Jack hope that she had forgiven him for the angry words he had snarled at her earlier that day.

“If nothing else, they would send teams to retrieve the UAV,” she told them quietly, lowering her voice so that she was speaking just above a whisper. “I just hope they realize they would be walking into a trap.”

“He must know something is up,” Jack jumped in to assure her, as he followed her lead. It wouldn’t do to let anyone else overhear their plans. “He had to have been trying to contact us for some time now. Why else would he send out the UAV?”

“The big question here is WHEN will they be coming to get us out of here?” Daniel’s question caused Jack to turn to look at him with concern. His friend’s excitement had died down, and was now replaced with anxiety. He was leaning over the table, with his spoon clenched tightly in his fist, and Jack wondered what had happened in the last few minutes to cause Daniel’s mood to change so drastically.

“It would all depend on what they saw,” Jack said, as he watched Daniel carefully. Daniel bent his head as he dug into his gruel, but Jack could see something was wrong. “I’m thinking it will be soon.” Daniel nodded his head, as he chewed, then looked up when Jack tapped him on the arm to get his attention. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” Daniel looked confused, so Jack clarified it for him. “What’s wrong?”

Daniel swallowed his food, then went back to digging into his bowl for more. “Nothing,” he said, while shaking his head. He took another bite, then looked back up at Jack. “I’m just anxious to get out of here, that’s all.”

Jack couldn’t argue with that, but something was going on in Daniel’s head and Jack knew from experience that Daniel wouldn’t be able to keep it to himself. He stared at Daniel for a moment longer, then went back to his own food. He was having a little trouble eating due to the fact that Joseph had sidled up as close to Jack’s side as he could get, which hampered Jack’s use of his right arm. He looked over at the kid, then tried to push him over so that he could have some room. The clinginess was definitely starting to wear badly on Jack’s nerves. “Scoot over,” he encouraged. Joseph did, but he only moved about an inch, much to Jack’s chagrin. “Come on, move over.”

He finally got Joseph situated, but looked up to see Carter staring at him with an unidentifiable look. Oh great, he thought. Now what?

“What?”

“Nothing,” she said, with a shake of her head. She went back to her food, while anger built up in Jack’s heart. Here he was, sitting at a table with three people, yet he might as well be on another planet. He was the first to admit that he wasn’t so great with relationships, but this was ridiculous.

“It must be something,” he said, looking first at Sam, then at Daniel. “Which one of you wants to go first?” Sam shrugged her shoulders, while Daniel went back to his food. “Daniel?”

“Shouldn’t we be concentrating on our escape?” Daniel whispered harshly, just as Sam said, “So tell us about Elda.” Jack found himself looking first at Daniel, who was glaring at him, then at Sam, who was looking at him with patronizing interest, even as he wondered what he had got himself into. He decided to answer Daniel’s question, only because it was the most important topic.

“If Hammond has figured out what’s going on here, he should be sending in the troops within a few hours.” Daniel nodded, while Jack continued. “He’ll need to coordinate the rescue teams, but I don’t see that taking too long. We just need to be ready when they get here.”

“I’m ready now,” Daniel said, with determination. Jack grinned at that. He could so relate. He went to take another bite, but found that Joseph was plastered to his side again.

“Oh for crying out loud,” he said, as he pushed the kid over again. Joseph moved over, giving Jack more room, while Jack sent him a warning glance, telling him with his expression not to do it again. He went back to his meal, then noticed that Carter was grinning at him. He smiled back; glad that he could chase away her gloom. Now if he could just get her to give him one of her beautiful smiles…

“May I join you?” A woman had come up and pushed her way in so that she could sit next to Daniel. This was a surprise, Jack thought, while Daniel nodded at her. People usually left the members of SG-1 alone. But then again, Teal’c wasn’t with them at this meal, which was probably why this woman was able to find the courage to sit with them.

“I wanted to apologize to you, Daniel, for being so surly toward you today,” the woman said, as she made herself comfortable.

“No problem,” Daniel said. He looked over at Jack and Sam, then shrugged his shoulders, as if to say, ‘Don’t ask me.’ Jack took a bite, while waiting for an introduction, then glanced at Sam to see if she knew what was going on. She shook her head slightly, before turning to smile at the newcomer.

“This is Marain,” Daniel said, in way of an introduction. “We’ve been working together ever since I got here.”

“Hello Marain,” Sam said, while Jack nodded his greeting. Marain smiled back, her dark eyes taking in each of them before turning back to Daniel.

“I hope you can forgive me?”

“Of course. We all have our bad days.”

Marain nodded, apparently satisfied with that response. She then turned to Sam to ask, “How are you feeling? I hope you weren’t hurt too badly when they whipped you this morning.”

“I’m okay,” Sam told her. “It could have been worse.”

“You are fortunate that it was not.” Sam didn’t respond, she just nodded in agreement. Marain then leaned over and linked her arm through Daniel’s and began to run her hand up and down his arm as she smiled at Sam. “Daniel has been so worried about you.” Sam’s eyes narrowed dangerously, while Daniel looked like he was ready to bolt. Jack took another bite of his gruel as he watched the drama unfold. This could get interesting, he thought with a grin.

“He tells me that you are very… fragile,” she said, “That you need his protection.” Daniel, was now glaring at his friend, who apparently had an agenda to fulfill. She turned to look at Daniel, then said, “I told him that I could wait.”

“Fragile?” Sam asked, as she glared at Daniel.

“Not even close,” Daniel snarled, yanking his arm out of Marain’s grasp. “What is this?”

“Did I do something wrong?” Marain asked, tears filling her eyes. “It seems I must apologize again.” She looked over at Sam, her expression now sorrowful, and Jack actually felt sorry for her. “Please forgive me for my words. I did not mean to make you angry.”

Sam made a valiant effort to calm down. Jack watched as she took a deep breath, then give Marain a tight smile. “I’m not angry with you, Marain. It’s just been a long day.”

“Yes it was.” An awkward silence fell over them, with nobody having anything to say. “Perhaps I should leave,” Marain finally said. She stood up when no one argued with her, then added, “I will see you tomorrow Daniel.”

“Good night,” Daniel responded, as he watched her walk away. He was still a little pissed, but Jack could see that he was trying to give her the benefit of the doubt. Jack wasn’t so sure she deserved it.

“Fragile?” Sam obviously was not going to let this go.

“Happy place,” Jack said to encourage Sam to calm down. He could only hope that a little humor might ease things up a bit.

“I didn’t say that to her Sam,” Daniel insisted. “I don’t know where she got that from, but I didn’t say it.”

“What did you say?” Sam was definitely not going to let this go. Jack could see it in her whole demeanor. She was gearing up for a fight, and he worried that Daniel didn’t stand a chance.

“I don’t know,” Daniel said. “I don’t think I said anything about this at all. Maybe she made it up.”

“Why would she do something like that?” Daniel shrugged, but Sam was on the warpath. “Just because I am a woman does not mean that I can’t take care of myself,” she snarled. “You don’t have to protect me and you don’t own me Daniel.” She was pissed and Jack was trying to come up with something to calm her down, while Joseph chose that moment to move onto his lap.

“Come on kids,” Jack said, as he hugged Joseph to his chest. “You’re scaring Joey here.”

“I didn’t say that I did,” Daniel growled back at her, both of them completely ignoring Jack. This was getting out of hand, Jack decided. But before he could say anything, Daniel dropped the bomb. “You are taking this way out of proportion, Sam. You are letting your petty little…”

“Petty?” Sam snarled at him. Oh great, Jack thought. Now he’s done it. “You have the nerve to sit there and tell me that my feelings are petty?” Daniel looked a little baffled, but he was still too angry to let it slide. Sam, however, didn’t care. “I have every right to feel the way I do. And I’ve got news for you Daniel Jackson. I don’t ‘need’ you to protect me any more than I…”

She didn’t get to finish that thought because a guard came up and slammed his stick down on the table, causing Joseph to try to climb into Jack’s chest. Joseph was terrified and Jack had had enough. “Are you both satisfied?” he said to his friends, before the guard could say anything. “This poor little guy is going to have nightmares for months and you’ve both successfully brought all kinds of attention to our little group.” Daniel looked a little chagrined, while Sam was battling her anger in an effort to look meek. Jack just wanted to slap them both upside the head. “So much for keeping a low profile.”

“I’m sorry Jack,” Sam said.

“Me too,” Daniel chimed in. They were both sitting there with matching guilty looks, but Jack wasn’t so sure they were out of the woods, so to speak. Tensions were high between them, and whenever there was tension, tempers were easily ignited. He hoped they were okay now, but he figured to get rid of the guard before bringing up the subject again.

“We got it under control,” he told the guard to send him on his way. “Thanks!” The guard glared at them all before walking away, and Jack couldn’t resist a parting shot. “I couldn’t have done it without you.” No response, which was probably a good thing. Jack’s smartass remarks had been known to get him into trouble more often than he cared to admit. He turned to his teammates, then asked, “Is everything hunky dory or are you going to make me separate you two?”

Sam nodded, as she gave him a small smile. “Everything’s good.”

Jack watched her warily as he ran his hand over Joseph’s hair. The kid had calmed down a little, but wouldn’t give up his seat on Jack’s lap. Jack gave up trying to move him, and just held him, while he turned his attention to Daniel. “Well?” he asked.

“Right as rain,” Daniel responded. “I’m not quite sure what happened here, anyway.”

Jack had to grin at that. He well remembered the arguments he used to have with his wife. Half the time they were based on something he’d said or did, which to this day were still mysteries to him. “Women!” he said, with exaggerated gusto.

Sam shook her head as she looked away, trying hard to lose her own grin. Jack was glad to see that she had calmed down. He needed his team to be ready when the time came, not fighting amongst themselves. Sam turned back to face them, her expression suddenly serious. “I really am sorry about that.” Jack shook his head in a silent effort to tell her not to worry about it. But apparently, Sam needed to say the words. “My back is still a little sore and I guess I let that woman get to me.” She looked over at Daniel to ask, “Could she have been the one who put the blood on our sheets?”

“I was wondering the same thing,” Jack said. Daniel just sat there with a shocked expression. But the others in the room were starting to leave, and Jack knew that the guards would be back to evict him and his friends if they didn’t get moving, so he struggled to stand up to set an example. He finally got Joseph to relinquish his seat, while Jack stood up and stretched his back. “Let’s take this outside, shall we?”

“Marain?” Daniel asked, as he too, stood up. “What makes you think she would do something like that?” Jack worried that Daniel was going to start in with the argument again, but Sam had gotten her act together and was in her problem-solving mode, which meant she was focused on the problem. Jack knew that Daniel’s anger wasn’t going to get in the way of Sam solving that problem.

“I’m not sure,” Sam admitted, as she stood up. “Something about her performance…” She glanced over at Daniel. “What was that all about anyway?” Daniel shrugged his shoulders helplessly, obviously totally confused about the whole thing. They walked over to the door, while Sam continued to muse. “I mean, why did she come over to deliberately try to start trouble?”

“She wants me to be her provider,” Daniel said, as he stopped in his tracks. Realization had dawned, Jack realized, as he paused to see why Daniel had stopped. “She said that they told her she could replace you when you didn’t get pregnant.” Anger was back in full force, as Daniel stared at Sam. Jack knew the anger was directed at Marain, but he still worried that Daniel would take it out on Sam. “I told her that you were going to get pregnant, but she seemed to think it wasn’t going to happen. I was worried that she may have overheard us talking.”

“That witch!” Sam snarled angrily.

“With a capital B,” Jack added enthusiastically. The woman had apparently decided to push things along in her efforts to get Daniel into her bed. He looked over at Daniel, but just couldn’t figure out what it was about him that had women throwing themselves at him. He was an ex-geek, for crying out loud.

“She had been planning this all along,” Daniel said, his voice tinged with awe. “She seemed like such a nice person. Well, she was a little pushy, but still…” He looked over at them, while shaking his head. “I should have seen it coming.”

“It’s water under the bridge now,” Jack insisted, as he led them toward the door. “Now that we know who to watch out for, we make sure she doesn’t get the opportunity to try anything else.” They walked out of the building and headed toward the tent where Sam and Daniel slept, but they passed it by with mutual consent, each wanting to avoid that place for their own reasons.

“Now I know why she was so mad at me today,” Daniel said, as they stopped to admire the view. Some of the clouds from the storm were still hanging around, but the worst of it had already passed by, leaving the scent of wet grass and dirt to remind Jack of home.

He shook off the wave of homesickness, while he stared at the mountains in the distance. “You screwed up her plans when you told the guards to check for blood,” he said quietly.

“Yeah,” Daniel responded. Silence took over as the four of them stood out in the yard. There wasn’t much to say after that and Jack was enjoying the companionable silence as he took in the view. He couldn’t see the Stargate from where he was standing, but it was out there. He could almost see it in his mind’s eye.

His attention was drawn to the little boy who was standing at his side. Joseph had come up and grabbed Jack’s hand, tugging on it to get his attention. Jack waited, but the kid didn’t do anything once he got the attention he wanted. Damn kid, Jack thought affectionately, as he turned toward his friends. “I guess I should take this guy over to the children’s ward,” he said. “It’s past his bedtime.” Daniel nodded, while Sam smiled at Joseph.

“I’m sorry I scared you earlier,” she said, as she got down to Joseph’s level. Joseph didn’t respond. He leaned into Jack’s leg as he stared at Sam. “I just got a little mad at Daniel. He can be such a pain.” This was said with a roll of her eyes while she made a face. Jack watched as Joseph gave Sam a small smile, although he hadn’t moved from his position. Jack reached down to ruffle the boy’s hair, while smiling at Sam as she tried to get through to the kid. She really was good with children, he thought.

But Joseph was more interested in something else. He tugged on Jack’s hand again, bringing Jack’s attention back to the kid’s face. He could see that Joseph wanted to say something, but nothing came out. He knelt down next to the boy, looking into his eyes, trying to convince him that he didn’t need to be afraid. “What is it?” he asked, as Sam reached over to rub Joseph’s arm.

Joseph tried, Jack had to give him that. He really wanted to say something, but the fear in his eyes spoke volumes. He was afraid to speak. Jack could see that plain as day, and he silently cursed the men who put that fear into a child so young. “Come on, Joey. You can tell us.” Joseph opened his mouth, but still no words came out. Big tears filled his eyes, causing Jack to reach out and wipe them away. It was apparent that his fear was too great for him to handle and Jack didn’t think it was a good idea to push him. “That’s okay. Don’t worry about it, okay? Come on. Let’s get you to bed.”

He started to stand, but Joseph finally found his voice and the courage to ask. “I go too?”

“Yeah,” Jack said with a smile, pleased beyond belief that that the little guy had actually fought past his fear. He reached over to smooth Joseph’s hair, then ran his thumb over his cheek to wipe away the wetness, as he said, “In fact, they’re waiting for you right now.”

Joseph shook his head, as tears streamed down his face. Jack had an uneasy feeling in his stomach as he watched the kid struggle to find the words he needed. His own fear moved in as he suddenly realized what Joseph wanted. He looked over at Sam to see unease and understanding shining in her eyes, then up at Daniel who glanced back at him with concern. But Jack knew that neither one was going to help him in trying to make this little boy understand that he may have to stay behind. He tried to smile at Joseph, hoping to ease the way, but Joseph was just a kid. All he knew was that he was going to lose someone else.

“Go with you,” Joseph insisted through his tears.

“We’ll see,” Jack said, using the old fall back that parents had used for generations. He smiled at the little boy one more time, then stood up and took Joseph’s hand. “But for right now, it’s bedtime.”

Joseph just shook his head as he tugged on Jack’s hand again. “No!” Jack could see that he was going to have a struggle on his hands, and he definitely did not look forward to it, but it couldn’t be helped.

“Get moving,” a guard snarled at them. Jack looked over at the guard and nodded. He had been so focused on Joseph, he hadn’t even heard this guy come up to them. Joseph, however, moved to get behind Jack, pulling Jack’s hand along with him.

“All right, we’re moving,” Daniel said in a huff. He went over and grabbed Joseph’s other hand, before going on with his complaints. “We were just talking. You guys are so touchy when it comes to…”

“Move!” the guard snarled, apparently not even the least bit interested in Daniel’s complaints. Daniel got the message and resorted to silence, which was fine with Jack. He didn’t want to have to carry Daniel out to the Stargate on a stretcher. They turned and left the guard standing there, walking toward the buildings again, when Daniel broke the silence.

“Be glad you got stuck babysitting,” he said, as he grinned at Jack. Sam stifled a giggle and Jack turned to watch her suspiciously.

“What?” he asked. Daniel grinned at him, while Sam had successfully squashed her laughter, but apparently neither one was going to enlighten him. He glared at them both, then turned his attention to the little boy who was gripping Jack’s hand like a vise. “They’re being mean to me,” Jack complained with a smile, hoping to ease the boy’s anxiety over another argument, although Jack felt like smashing something.

“No we’re not,” Sam jumped in to clarify. “Daniel was just talking about how cranky you can get.”

“Well that explains everything,” Jack responded sarcastically. He didn’t have a clue as to what either one was talking about. They were making fun of him though, which brought on his anger. “I’m going to put this little guy to bed. Be ready when the time comes.”

“We will,” Sam said, with a frown. Jack turned to head toward the children’s ward, but stopped when Sam called out to him. “Jack. Wait.” He did, wondering if she was going to let him in on the secret. But she shook her head, seemingly unable, or unwilling to clue him in. She then gave him an apologetic smile and said. “We’ll do what we can to help out with Joseph.” Jack nodded to show that he understood, giving her a small smile to let her know he appreciated it. “Whatever it takes,” she added.

Whatever it takes - that was going to be their theme song if they weren’t careful. Then again, it probably already was. “Be ready,” he told her again, as he walked away. The lights from the fires set up around the compound and from the buildings illuminated the yard, casting shadows as he and Joseph walked toward the children’s ward. Jack found himself looking toward the gardens, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Stargate off in the distance. It was too far away from his position, he knew, but he tried anyway.

It was out there, and so were the people who were going to come to the rescue. As much as he wanted that rescue, Jack hoped it wouldn’t happen until the next day. It would be much easier to take Joseph with them during the day, since the kid stuck to Jack like glue from morning to night.

They reached their destination and predictably, Joseph threw a fit the moment they walked in the door. Jack worried that his little friend’s new found vocal abilities would defeat all his hopes of a rescue, but apparently the only word Joseph could utter around the guards was “Jack”. The child screamed his name over and over; sobbing his heart out while Jack turned his back on him and walked out the door. He had to harden his heart against that kid. He kept on walking toward the barracks, his own heart breaking as he realized that he had let Joseph down, but there was a very real possibility that he wouldn’t be able to get to Joseph when the time came. It was a fact that he would have to live with.

He didn’t enter the barracks, choosing instead to sit outside by the building. The ground was still wet, but Jack didn’t care. He needed to be alone. He sat there, listening to the quiet of the night, while leaning his head back against the wall and staring up at the sky. The clouds were clearing up, giving Jack a clear view of the stars that were spattered across the sky. He couldn’t help but wonder which one was Earth. He sat there for a long time, trying to find a familiar pattern in an effort to keep his mind off of a screaming little boy, but was shaken to the core when the sound of an explosion rent the air.

Rescue! He knew it as sure as he was sitting there, and he jumped up from the ground to try to find the source. Shouts from guards were heard all around him, while Jack decided he’d be better off looking for the source of the explosion.

“Stay by the building,” a guard shouted at him, as he ran by. Jack stopped in his tracks, but took off the minute the guard was out of sight. There was no way in hell he was going to stand by and wait for his people to find him. Other slaves were obviously thinking the same thing, as people ran out of the buildings to find out what was going on. Chaos ensued when another explosion was heard from the direction of the compound entrance. Some of the guards were running around and shouting at the slaves, trying to control them, while others were heading off toward the compound gate. Jack’s first thought was Joseph, and he ran toward the children’s ward, only to be thwarted when several guards came around that building, all brandishing weapons.

“Get back to the barracks,” one of them snarled, as they ran past. Like hell, Jack thought, but then changed his mind when one of the guards grabbed him by the arm and pushed him toward the barracks. He tried to resist, but the guard hit him on his bad arm with his stick, causing Jack to yell out in pain and to sink to his knees as he cradled the injured limb to his chest. “Back to the barracks,” the guard snarled out, before following his companions through the crowds, shouting and swinging their sticks to control the mob that was milling about in the yard.

The barracks, Jack thought with a glare, as he kneeled there on the ground. His arm was throbbing, but he stayed where he was, waiting until the guards had moved away from him. He got up to head once more to get Joseph, then stopped when he saw two guards standing on the steps of the children’s wards, apparently trying to see what was going on. They were the guards who sat with the children at night. Jack figured he wouldn’t be able to get past them to retrieve Joseph and there wasn’t time to find a way to sneak in. He stood there for a few seconds, regrets pouring into his soul, then turned and worked his way through the crowds to head for the gate.


	16. Chapter 16

Despite the likelihood of a rescue attempt being made in the very near future, it was a night like any other night for Sam and Daniel. They entered the tent and stopped at the entrance, working on their respective anxieties. Sam looked over at Daniel and smiled, hoping that he had forgiven her for her earlier actions. She was just so angry that Marain would be so obvious in her intentions of moving in on Sam’s territory. For all intents and purposes, at least for the people living in Reymes ‘kingdom’, Daniel was supposed to be Sam’s lover. And it didn’t help that Marain’s little act of possessiveness showed up right after Sam’s inner battle with the jealousy she had for Elda. Sam knew that she shouldn’t be jealous, but she still harbored some animosity toward both women. She was only human, after all.

She shook off the lingering resentment and glanced at Daniel, who nodded at her. They both knew what they had to do, and they went over to their bed, sitting down to take their boots off. Sam knew that they would be rescued soon, but until it actually happened, she and the rest of SG-1 were going to have to continue with their regular activities, whether they wanted to or not.

They got under the covers, while Sam moved in close to Daniel. Somewhere during the last several nights, she had learned to relax while she was with him in their bed and she draped her arm across his waist as they snuggled in for the night. It was a nice feeling, having a warm body sleeping next to her, but Sam was pretty sure that this was going to be their last night as lovers. Rescue was imminent, she thought, as she ran her hand over Daniel’s chest, and she idly wondered when the SG teams would be showing up.

“We’re going to have to go through the motions,” Daniel said, as he turned on his side to face her. “At least until we are rescued. How’s your back?”

“It’s still sore.” She reached up to caress his face, as they lay there staring at each other. He really was a handsome man. He had expressive eyes that were filled with caring and compassion, so very different from Jack’s, who rarely let anything show through. She was definitely going to miss these quiet times with her friend.

“Are you up to this?” He didn’t elaborate on the question, but he didn’t have to. Sam knew what he was referring to.

“As long as I don’t have to lie on my back, I think I can do this.” He nodded, while Sam moved up to him and kissed him lightly. “Maybe if we stall around, we won’t even have to worry about it.”

“You mean we should put on the show of our lives?” Daniel reached over to run his fingers through her hair, as he sent her a small smile. “Think we can do it this time?”

Sam grimaced at Daniel’s words. She well remembered the first, and only time they had tried to fake their way through it. The guards weren’t easy to fool. “Probably not,” she mumbled. She got up and moved so that she could straddle Daniel’s hips, then leaned into him as she kissed his mouth. She pulled away when Daniel grunted in pain. He was hurt, and she wondered once more what had happened to him. “You’re hurt,” she accused, glaring at him for lying to her. “What did that guard do?”

“It’s not too bad,” he insisted. Sam knew better, though. He was definitely in pain and she was determined to find out how badly. She moved off of him to lie down on her side next to him, moving in to mold her body to his, making it look like they were doing their duty. She kissed him passionately, then pulled back to look in his eyes.

“Tell me what happened,” she whispered, just before she kissed him again. She was determined to stall for time, but she still needed to keep up appearances.

“Nothing,” Daniel responded, in between kisses. Footsteps were walking past and Sam found herself in an extremely passionate embrace as Daniel pulled her closer so that he could continue with his charade. But he had put pressure on her shoulder as he pulled her toward him, causing extreme agony to race across her back. His kiss drowned out her scream, but he still heard it. He immediately let go, then lay back on the bed, giving an exasperated sigh as he stared up at the ceiling. “This is not going to work,” he said loudly, while Sam tried to fight back the tears forming from the pain she had endured. That had hurt. “She was whipped this morning. How do you expect us to ‘perform’ when she is in so much pain?”

The guard, who had come running the minute Daniel started talking, didn’t seem to care about Sam’s problem. “Figure out a way,” he said, glaring at them with an expression filled with extreme malice. Sam nodded, but Daniel was not so easily swayed.

“Come on. She’s got cuts and bruises all over her back. Surely you could let it go just for tonight.”

The guard walked up to Daniel, with a look of pure malice on his face and Sam decided to interfere. To say that she was seriously scared for her friend was an understatement. She didn’t want Daniel to get himself killed over her welfare, especially since she knew that she would survive the pain caused by their lovemaking. He didn’t have to put himself in danger on her account. She put her hand on Daniel’s chest, while giving him a warning look, then said, “I’ll be okay, Daniel. Please, just let it go.”

“I don’t want to hurt you Sam.”

Sam smiled at him, but she knew the guard wasn’t going to let Daniel get away with this. The guard was already hefting his stick in his hands. “I know,” she said softly. She stared at him for a moment, then told him, “We’ll figure something out.” She looked up at the guard standing over the bed, silently wishing she could get away with beating the crap out of him. It would make her feel so much better. “We’ll be fine,” she told him.

The guard glared at her with narrowed eyes. Sam could see that he didn’t trust them, but he stared pointedly at each of them, before nodding his head. “You had better be,” he warned. Sam nodded, watching as he glared at her one last time, then walked away. She let go of the breath she was holding, then turned on her friend.

“Are you crazy?” she practically snarled. “He would have hurt you Daniel, worse than what that other guy did to you.” Daniel had a guilty look on his face, but Sam was not finished harping on him. “We may be rescued anytime, but a lot of good that would do if we have to carry you out of here.” Daniel opened his mouth to say something else, but Sam was on a roll. “Not to mention that if he beat you unconscious, we don’t make love, and I find myself up on that crossbeam…” Daniel’s kiss interrupted her in mid-rant, as he molded his mouth against hers, kissing her deeply. He had threaded his fingers through her hair, as he pulled her closer, and she forgot what she was saying when he parted his lips against her mouth. The man definitely knew how to kiss.

He pulled away and grinned against her mouth, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “Yes ma’am,” he whispered, then kissed her again before she could say a thing. Sam smiled back at him when he let her up for air. The man was such a jerk, she thought affectionately.

“Just don’t put yourself at risk to save me, okay?” She was determined that she wouldn’t be the cause of his demise. He shrugged his shoulders in a non-committable gesture, then kissed her again when they heard footsteps pass by their bed.

“You were definitely thinking about killing me earlier,” Daniel reminded her, when the guard was at the other end of the tent. They were mere inches apart as they talked, while Daniel’s hand moved down her arm and over her hip. His hand kept moving and she put her hand on his to stop him from delving into her pants.

“Let’s keep stalling,” she told him. He frowned at her, but did as she asked. He brought the hand back up to her face, while Sam figured she should apologize for her earlier behavior. “I’m sorry about letting Marain get to me,” she whispered. He shook his head, as he kissed her again when a guard walked by. The guards seemed to be aggressive around them, probably because of Daniel’s earlier reluctance. If rescue didn’t come soon, they were going to have to do more than go through the motions.

“Sam,” Daniel whispered against her mouth. “It’ll be okay.” Sam knew that he was right, but she was still hesitant. It would be just her luck to have the rescue teams come in to find her in Daniel’s embrace. Daniel slid his hand down her arm again, while kissing her and Sam tried to relax. She heard a guard walk past her bed again, causing her to tense up as anger moved in. They were going to stand over her to make sure she did her duty, Sam was sure of it, and she hated those bastards with everything she had.

“It’ll be okay,” Daniel whispered again, as his hand pushed its way under the waistband of her pants and slid across her hip. She nodded, but she still couldn’t relax. The warm and calloused hand moved across her stomach, causing sensations to spiral through her soul, while their lips met with passion. She began to relax, which seemed to ease Daniel’s worry. He smiled at her between kisses, and Sam decided that she was just being silly. It’s not like this was the first time she had to do this while the guards watched. She kissed Daniel again, determined to just get this over with, moving her body to once again straddle his legs. She leaned in to kiss him again, making sure to not put any pressure on his chest, while squirming with pleasure at the sensations Daniel created with his fingers. His caress was gentle, nothing at all like the treatment she’d received that morning, and Sam realized that she had been worried about that. It had been an unconscious thought, but it had been there all along. She raised up and gave Daniel a huge smile, telling him silently that he was right, and he grinned back just before he brought his head up to kiss her again.

An explosion ripped through the night, startling both Sam and Daniel from the kiss. They stared at each other in shock, before realization sank in. The cavalry had arrived! Excitement soared through Sam, as she realized exactly what was happening. She sat up to see what was going on, watching as the guards all gathered around the door of the tent, while the other slaves were all talking at once. She looked down at Daniel, who was beaming at her, and Sam rolled off of him to get out of bed. The momentum took her right off the side of the bed, and she ended up on her butt, just a little stunned. Her surprise didn’t last long though. She was being rescued! She looked up to find Daniel grinning at her as he leaned over to see if she was okay. She smiled back at him, too excited for anything else, then grabbed her boots to put them on, ignoring the pain that shot across her back when she reached for them.

She finally got her boots on and was up and fighting her way through the crowd of people, trying desperately to get through to the door. Another explosion rent the air, causing some of the women to scream and most of the others to start shouting, demanding to know what was going on. Everyone was now pushing their way to the entrance, while the two guards who stayed behind were shouting to be heard above the din. It was pure chaos, with Sam right in the middle of it all. She had moved a few inches, but was startled when she was pulled out of the mob by Daniel, who pulled her up to him and kissed her fiercely.

“Wow!” was all she could say when he finally let her go. She really did like the way he kissed. “What was that for?”

He looked at her as if she was crazy. “When am I ever going to get the opportunity to do that again?” He shook his head in exasperation, while grinning at her.

Sam just rolled her eyes. “Come on lover boy,” she said, her own smile lighting up her face. “Let’s go home.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It seemed as if every single adult in Reymes ‘kingdom’ was out in the yard, milling about, talking excitedly amongst themselves. Jack had to fight his way through the crowds, pushing his way through in an effort to find out what exactly was going on. He was worried about his teammates, but he was more concerned with the rescue attempt and what he needed to do to make sure it went down smoothly. He continued to push his way through, ignoring the shouts of the guards who demanded that everyone get back to their beds.

The fires that were burning throughout the compound illuminated the yard, while Jack made his way toward the gate. His efforts were hampered by the crowds, but he finally made it to his destination, stopping a little distance away from it. Guards were swarming around the entrance in a determined effort to keep the slaves inside and the outsiders from entering. Jack couldn’t see what was going on outside the gate, as the gate itself was made of wood, but the fencing around the gate wasn’t, so he ran over to see if he could get a glimpse of the rescue party, extremely grateful for the torches that had been set up along the path that led away from the gate. They had been put there to light up the area outside the compound for the night guards, but they provided some light for Jack to see what was going on and he knew the rescue effort would go much smoother because of them.

It was the boys from Stargate Command causing all the trouble. Jack let a smile show through, as he made his assessments of the rescue efforts. He saw two men standing in the trees nearest the entrance, their weapons aimed toward the gate, while two more were in position behind a few trees that had fallen to the ground, most likely the result of one of the explosions. All four of the men were covering Colonel Reynolds and his cohort, Major McFarland, who were standing behind some trees that were in front of the gate, with their own weapons at the ready.

“Give us our people and we’ll leave,” Reynolds demanded. Jack moved a little closer to the fence to see if he could see who Reynolds was talking to, but the guard was out of his line of vision. Jack was trying to come up with a way to help out, as he glanced back over at the two men who were hiding out in the trees closest to him. One of them, Captain Conner, had seen him, as Conner nodded at Jack before turning his attention back to covering his commanding officer’s back. Conner then reached for his radio and dipped his head, while keeping his eyes on the gate, then spoke into his radio, hopefully telling Reynolds that Jack was on this side of the fence.

Jack couldn’t hear what was said over the noise of the people who were milling about, but it didn’t matter. The men from the SGC were trained for situations such as this. They knew what to do. Many of the slaves came over to stand next to him, looking out toward the area beyond the fence, all of them struggling to see what was going on. A few were brave enough to get near the fence, although they knew better than to touch it. Jack turned and left them to their curiosity. He had bigger things to do.

Reynolds and the guard were still yelling at each other. Jack could hear their voices, although he couldn’t make out the words now that he was fighting his way through the crowd again. He stopped moving when he saw a guard yelling at the slaves and swinging his stick, trying desperately to control the slaves in an effort to force them back to their beds. It was a losing battle, as far as Jack was concerned. There were way too many slaves who were hoping for freedom. It would take more than a few clubs to tame that crowd.

Jack finally made his way closer to the gate, thinking only of giving Reynolds an easy way in. He stopped when he heard Reynolds shouting over the din. “Don’t give me that. We know they’re in there. My man over there saw one of them. Send our people out and no one gets hurt.”

“If they are in here, they now belong to Lord Reymes,” the guard yelled back. Jack knew that voice. It was the overseer who patrolled the compound at night – the one who had interrupted Jack’s nighttime scouting trip a few days earlier. “Throw down your weapons so that we can talk about this without violence.”

The guy had guts; Jack had to give him that. But Reynolds had the upper hand, judging by the sounds of the explosions. It was for this reason that Jack hesitated as he thought about getting closer to the gate. It wouldn’t do for him to be next to it when Reynolds blew it up. He moved quickly when another guard bullied his way through the crowds, trying to get to the gate, his stick narrowly missing Jack’s shoulder.

This freaking place is a zoo, Jack thought, as people jostled him in their attempts to avoid getting hurt. He finally got away from the majority of the crowd, then changed his mind about getting closer to the gate anyway, when he heard shots being fired outside the gate. Something was up, and he realized it was something big when he saw guards running away from the entrance of the compound, the overseer running right along with them.

Jack decided to follow their lead, then stumbled when an explosion roared through his ears, sending shock waves over the ground. Screams were heard all around him, and he fell as a few people pushed past him to run back toward the buildings. “Damn it!” he growled, as he ducked down and covered his head with his arms to avoid getting his head kicked in by the stampede of people rushing past him. He was finally alone and started to get up, but he came up swinging when someone ran up to him and grabbed his arm.

“Whoa!! Jack! Calm down. It’s me,” Daniel said, as he pulled back from Jack’s fist. Jack stopped when he realized who had grabbed him, then immediately looked around for Carter. “Where’s Sam?”

“Right here,” she said. She moved around so that she was facing him, then nodded when he realized she was okay. Her attention, however, was back on the gate, and Jack turned to follow her gaze.

“Right on time,” he said, when he saw Reynolds poke his head around the gate to see if the coast was clear. But the guards were moving back in, and Jack knew he’d better act now if he was going to be a part of the mission. He gave Reynolds a thumbs-up sign, then ran toward the gate, toward freedom, with Sam and Daniel hot on his heels.

They had almost made it, when Reynolds aimed his gun at Jack. “Down!” he yelled, causing Jack and his teammates to fall to their knees as they ducked to avoid getting caught in the crossfire. They ended up on the ground, face first, waiting for the shooting to stop, while Jack made use of the moment to study the lay of the land. His head swiveled around, as he studied the area, looking for possible obstacles that could put a stop to their rescue. He didn’t see anything obvious, but he kept looking even as he jumped up when the shooting stopped and ran the rest of the way toward the gate.

“Never thought I’d ever be happy to see your ugly face,” he told Reynolds, when he reached him.

“Good to see you too, Jack,” Reynolds replied, his own smile lighting up his face. But they weren’t out of the woods yet. “Where’s Teal’c?”

It was a question that had been racing through Jack’s mind ever since he’d heard the first explosion. He knew where Daniel and Sam were when the explosions wracked the compound, but he couldn’t be sure that Teal’c was where he was supposed to be. “I don’t know,” he said, worry for his friend building up in his heart. “I haven’t seen him since this morning.”

“We have to get out of here soon,” Reynolds said, while Jack grabbed one of the guns the rescue party had thoughtfully brought along. They had positioned themselves back outside the gate, while Reynolds’ men were still in place among the trees. They were covered for any threats from the guards, inside or out of the compound, but Jack still stayed alert. He was not leaving without Teal’c.

Shots were fired from inside the compound, but for the most part, both sides of the battle were sitting there, unwilling to waste their ammunition. “Come on, Teal’c,” Jack muttered, almost to himself. “Where are you?”

They waited in the silence that now surrounded the compounded. Apparently, the slaves were content to wait in the shadows and in the buildings, until it was safe to venture out in the yard. Jack looked out over the compound, wondering where Joseph was, and if he was safe. Sadness threatened to suffocate him, as he tried to come up with a scenario to grab that kid and run. Sadness and self-hatred, all rolled up tightly inside his gut, because he knew that it would probably be suicide for him and his comrades to try and find that little boy.

Jack turned to look at Reynolds when a voice came over the man’s radio. “Colonel, we’ve got incoming!”

“Where’s Teal’c?” Reynolds demanded of Jack, then shook his head when Jack just stared at him. “We have most of the members of SG-1,” he said into his radio. “But we have a situation here. Hold your position.”

“Yes sir,” came the response. Reynolds gave an impatient sigh, as he went back to searching the compound for the missing teammate, but Jack didn’t care. He was not leaving Teal’c.

They didn’t have to wait too long. Jack breathed a sigh of relief when Teal’c finally showed up. He was limping toward them from the direction of the garden, but more importantly, he was just walking toward them, out in the open, not even caring that there was a good chance he would be shot and killed. Jack watched, fascinated, as Teal’c came closer. What is up with that guy, he wondered, as he pulled his gun up to cover him, then fired at a guard who had figured out Teal’c’s intention. The other guards got in the act, while Teal’c changed his attitude and made an effort to run for safety. Shots were fired from both sides, with Jack moving into position to ensure Teal’c made it in one piece.

Jack continued to cover his friend, shooting at the guards who were hiding behind buildings, then froze when he saw a little boy run around the corner of a building and head straight for him. “Oh my God,” he breathed, scared out of his mind, as he realized who that little boy was. He stared at the child for a second longer, then pulled the trigger of his gun, shooting at the guard who had Joseph in his sights. He figured the guard was probably just going to try to scare Joseph, but there was also the possibility that Joseph could get hurt, or killed, as he ran through the line of fire, not to mention that the guards may just figure out that they could use Joseph as a weapon against Jack. They knew how close he was to that kid, and Jack wouldn’t put it past the guards to grab the child, just for spite.

“What the hell is the matter with that kid?” Reynolds yelled out, as he too, shot at a guard to cover the child. But his efforts were aborted when he suddenly cried out in pain, as he bent over with his hands holding his head.

“Reynolds!” Jack shouted. “What’s wrong? Are you hit?” Reynolds didn’t respond, he was on his knees by now, moaning in pain. Jack wasn’t sure what to do to help him, so he reached down and pulled him over behind a post that had survived the blast. Reynolds stopped moaning, but Jack could see that he was still in pain. He nodded at Jack, as Carter moved over to take Reynolds’ place. She and Jack both continued to send ground cover toward the guards, hoping to convince them to give up on this and let Jack and his companions leave.

Reynolds tried to get back into the action to help, but as soon as he grabbed his gun and aimed, he was down again, screaming in pain. It was almost as if something, or someone, was trying to stop him from leading the attack. Reymes, Jack thought, as a distant memory of Teal’c’s explanations ran through his mind. If Reymes really did have the ability to inflict pain by thought alone, it would make sense that he would attack the leader. Jack couldn’t see the fat bastard, but that didn’t mean anything. He could be attacking from one of the windows. Their best bet was to just get out of there, which is why Jack decided to concentrate on getting Teal’c and Joseph to safety. Reynolds may be down, but Jack wasn’t.

Teal’c and Joseph were still running toward them from different directions. Jack knew that Teal’c was a veteran at this stuff and stood a good chance of making it to safety, but Joseph was just a child. He didn’t know the first thing about staying out of the line of fire. Jack wanted nothing more than to go get that kid, but with Reynolds down, Jack was now the senior officer, which meant it was up to him to get his people out of there. All he could do was pray that Joseph made it through while Jack did everything he could to protect him. He kept shooting, along with the others, hoping that both Teal’c and Joseph would make it through, but Teal’c was not so lucky. He fell forward, apparently from a gunshot wound, landing on his stomach when he fell. Fear for his friend had Jack gripping his gun tighter, as he sent round after round toward the guards.

But Teal’c was still alive. Relief flowed through Jack when he saw Teal’c pull himself up, struggling to stand. The guards were not going to let up though. Jack knew this, just as he knew that Joseph was not going to make it. The kid had stumbled and fallen, then sat there in the middle of the war zone, screaming Jack’s name. “Get up!” Jack demanded, his voice carrying out over the yard. “Keep moving!” But Joseph was terrified. He finally made to get up though, while Jack silently cheered him on, even as he continued to send ground fire toward the guards.

He was so intent on protecting Joseph and Teal’c that he was shocked when Daniel took off running toward the yard. “Damn it, Daniel!” he shouted, as he made an effort to reach out to grab his friend. But Daniel was too fast, and was heading straight for Joseph, causing Jack to curse under his breath. It seemed that it wasn’t enough that he had to worry about Teal’c and Joseph. Apparently Daniel just had to get into the act, as well.

Jack continued to send round after round of ammunition toward the guards in an effort to cover Daniel, while he cursed the man for putting himself into danger. Daniel was always doing crap like this, Jack knew, and he was definitely going to have another long talk with Daniel the first chance he got.

All this was going through his mind, even as he silently rooted for Daniel to make it to his destination and to get that kid to safety. All attention was now on Daniel and Joseph, which made things easier for Teal’c. Jack glanced over to see that Teal’c was now crawling toward them. With Teal’c wounded, Daniel and Joseph smack in the middle of a war zone, and Reynolds down, Jack decided it was time for Plan B. All he had to do now was to figure out what Plan B was. He worked out scenarios in his head, as he, Carter and the other men continued to cover their comrades.

The guards were not going to give up, as one of them raced toward Joseph, but Daniel got to him first. He grabbed Joseph and ran toward the nearest building, ducking down to avoid getting shot at. “Leave him,” Jack heard the overseer yell out, apparently telling the guard that Daniel was no longer a threat. The guard immediately stopped and went back to his friends, taking cover behind the wall of the main building. Jack sent off a few rounds of ammunition toward that guard, just for spite.

Reynolds moaned again, apparently Reymes had decided to leave him alone, as Reynolds was no longer writhing on the ground, but Jack wasn’t so sure. “You okay?” he asked; then groaned loudly and fell to his knees, as a sharp, agonizing pain tore through his body. Apparently, Reymes must have decided that Jack needed to learn a lesson, as well. Jack didn’t even care. Nothing mattered now, except for the agony that was crawling through his system, attacking him with a vengeance. The agony built up within him, waves of pain exploding in a crescendo, then starting all over again. Over and over, with no relief in sight, while Jack writhed and squirmed in an effort to escape from the consuming agony that wracked his body.

“No!” he yelled, as agony continued to spear through his soul. Relief came to him in an instant, and Jack found that he was on the ground, curled up into a ball, panting heavily and battling an urge to throw up. He looked over to see that Reynolds was sitting next to him, looking at him with an expression filled with confusion and pain. Carter and McFarland were holding down the fort, both more than capable of leading the mission if their commanding officers were down, which in this case, they were. Jack knew that there was a good chance that they would all get out of there, he just didn’t know if he could go through another bout of Reymes’ power of thought in order to help.

But there was no getting around it. Jack was going to have to do something, and hiding out was not an option when Teal’c, Daniel and Joseph’s lives were at stake. “What’s the situation, Major?” he asked, hoping that maybe his help wasn’t needed after all.

“Not good,” McFarland answered.

“Daniel has Joseph in a secure location, while Teal’c is down,” Carter said at the exact same time. Both Majors looked at each other, then back out toward the compound. “The guards are not going to let anyone leave here sir,” she added, just before she and McFarland, both, sent off a few shots at someone.

“Damn,” Jack growled quietly. This meant he was going to have to get up. He looked over at Reynolds, who shrugged while he gave Jack a look that said he could totally relate, then gripped his gun tightly in preparation for the battle and the possible attack. Jack grimaced, took a deep breath, steadied himself, and got up to do what he could to get his teammates to safety.

Reymes had been waiting for this. Jack hadn’t been up for more than a few minutes before agony moved in again. He dimly heard Reynolds yell, but Jack really couldn’t care less what Reynolds was going through. All he could think about was that when this bout was over, he wasn’t going to get up for anybody.


	17. Chapter 17

Holy God, Colonel Matt Reynolds thought, as he lay there on the ground after that last attack. What in the hell was that all about? He hadn’t been in that much agony since that time Yu, the meanest System Lord in the galaxy as far as Matt was concerned, had gotten hold of him and tried to dissect him in order to get him to talk. He hadn’t talked, and it took Doc Fraiser and two specialists to put him back together again when his men had finally gotten him out of that hellhole. That session with Yu, which Matt tried very hard not to ever think of, was worse than this, but at least he had known what was going on.

Now he was facing a different enemy, and Matt had absolutely no idea what he was dealing with. The unknowing aspect of this whole thing was the part that he hated the most. It left him vulnerable and open to attack, a feeling that didn’t go very well with a well-seasoned veteran of many campaigns.

He sat up, leaning against a post that had held up the gate before he and his men had blown it to hell. O’Neill was still lying on the ground with his hands covering his eyes, but at least he wasn’t in pain anymore, or so it seemed. “What was that?” Matt finally asked, as he wiped the sweat off of his face. “Somebody want to tell me what that was all about?”

O’Neill just groaned, although he had pulled his hands away from his face to look over at him. He shook his head, then said, “I now know what Teal’c was talking about when he said he didn’t want to go through that again.”

“Teal’c went through that?” Carter asked, as she glanced over at O’Neill, who nodded at her, then got up to join Matt in holding up the gatepost. It was obvious that O’Neill was just as reluctant as Matt was in getting back up to face that agony. They were both safe for the moment, but there was no telling when they would be attacked again. They seemed to be safe as long as they stayed out of sight.

“What WAS that?” Matt asked again, aggravation moving in. It was a simple question that only required a simple answer. What was so hard about that?

“I’m not sure sir,” Carter spoke up, “But I heard a rumor that the man who rules this place can inflict a great deal of pain on someone just by thought alone.” She glanced over and grinned at him, before saying, “I wasn’t sure if it was true.”

“Oh, it’s true,” O’Neill said with a great deal of conviction in his voice.

Matt could only nod his head in agreement. There was no arguing on that point. “I take it that we’re not up against a Goa’uld then,” he said, as he tried to figure out a game plan.

“Nope,” O’Neill responded. McFarland fired off a round at someone, while Matt turned his attention toward the trees. He had four men out there to keep the guards who were stranded outside the compound from attacking, while four more covered the Stargate. The enemy seemed to be everywhere and Matt was determined to eliminate any surprises from them. He grabbed his radio and pushed the button to allow him the ability to communicate with the team he left at the Stargate. “Harper, what’s your status?”

“We’re secure for the moment,” came the response. “Not sure how long this will last though.”

“We have a situation here,” Matt told him. “I’ll let you know when we are heading your way. Be ready.”

“Yes sir.”

Matt let go of the radio and stared out at the trees, trying hard to figure something out. He had no idea what he was facing, other than what seemed like a hundred guards and a ruler who could bring a man to his knees by thought alone. He looked over at O’Neill to find that he was coming up with his own plans, judging by the look on his face. They stared at each other for a minute, both knowing what they were going to have to do, and both dreading it with everything they had.

“I’ll try to draw him out,” O’Neill said with a defeated tone. Matt nodded; knowing how much effort it took for O’Neill to find the courage to do what he was planning to do. O’Neill then looked over at Carter, who was staring back at her commanding officer with wide eyes, concern clearly written all over her face. “Carter, I want you kill that fat bastard the minute you see his face,” O’Neill told her. She nodded at him, determination taking over her features, then went back to staring out toward the compound.

O’Neill took a deep breath, then stood up in an effort to ready himself to make a run for it. Matt did the same. He moved around O’Neill so that he was able to aim his gun toward the guards in the compound, then nodded at his colleague to let him know he was ready. O’Neill mumbled something, then took off running toward Teal’c. The guards immediately started shooting their weapons, while Matt and his companions did the same. O’Neill had almost made it to his destination, when he suddenly dropped to his knees, screaming in pain.

“The main building!” Carter shouted. Matt turned to her, then realized that she was shooting her weapon at a building that was set apart from the rest. He got the hint, as he watched her spray the building with bullets, and he joined her, shooting round after round until he had to stop to reload. Shouts and screams were heard over the sound of gunfire, while some of the guards had come out into the open to try to stop them from shooting at the building. McFarland was doing his best to keep the guards at bay and Matt looked up to see that O’Neill was up and running toward Teal’c again. Matt figured this meant that they had either succeeded in killing the ruler, or the guy was too busy ducking bullets to continue his attack. He couldn’t be too sure though, based on the slight headache that had started up again.

O’Neill was now dragging Teal’c over to where his comrades were waiting. The guards were too busy trying to protect their ruler to pay too much attention to him. This was good news for O’Neill, but now all attention was on those who were hiding out behind the gateposts. Carter suddenly cried out, as she dropped her gun and did a perfect imitation of Matt’s earlier performance, dropping to the ground as pain rolled through her.

Matt was an old pro at this stuff by this time. He reached over and grabbed Carter by her shirt, pulling her over to hide out behind the gatepost, effectively getting her out of the line of fire. “That’s what you get for daring to shoot up the man’s house,” he told her with a grin.

She nodded, as she tried to catch her breath. “Yes sir.” O’Neill came in at that moment, pushing past Carter, with Teal’c leaning heavily on his shoulder. All three members of SG-1 were leaning up against the post, breathing heavily and grinning at each other. But that Kodak moment didn’t last long. A woman came out of the main building, screaming and crying as she made her announcement.

“They have killed Lord Reymes! He is dead!”

“Thank you Carter!” O’Neill said with a great deal of gusto, as he grinned at her.

“Oh sure,” Matt said in exasperation. “Give her all the credit.” Carter’s face reddened a little, while O’Neill didn’t even try to look ashamed. Matt had to hold back to keep from wiping that smirk off of O’Neill’s face, even as he grinned back at the man.

But they had bigger fish to fry, so Matt turned his attention back toward the compound. The fighting had stopped, which caused an eerie silence to fall over the whole scene. Matt and his people stayed hidden while they watched as one of the guards got up and ran over to the main building to see for himself that his lord was indeed dead.

The guard came out of the building a few minutes later, his face white with shock, then nodded at the other guards. A low rumbling came from that area, a sound that seemed to build up as more and more of the guards expressed their feelings on the subject.

O’Neill chose that moment to confront the guards from his hiding place. “He’s dead,” O’Neill yelled out to them. “This means that you are all free!” No one responded, nor moved for that matter. O’Neill apparently was not going to give up. “You’re free now. You can leave this place.” A few people came out of the other buildings, slowly making their way out to the freedom that was theirs for the taking. Some of the guards stood up at that point, looking at each other with trepidation. Carter and McFarland moved to join Matt as they watched O’Neill step out into the compound. “Come on you guys,” O’Neill coaxed. “Reymes can’t hurt you anymore. You’re no longer slaves. You can do what you want.”

Matt watched as more and more people came out. Jackson and the kid came out of hiding and started to walk toward them. The guards were now standing up, milling about, while a few of them looked as if they weren’t going to fall for O’Neill’s words of freedom. One in particular, got up and walked toward Matt, who eyed the man warily. Carter stiffened up at that point, while she pulled her gun up just in case.

“You’re free,” O’Neill told the man once more. But apparently O’Neill’s assessment was flawed, as the guard suddenly grimaced in pain, then fell to the ground, his face twisted in pain as he fought off the onslaught. Matt couldn’t help but look over toward the main building, wondering if the news of Reymes’ death was all a trick. The guards and the others must have come to the same conclusion, because they all went back into hiding, all except for Jackson and the kid, who had stopped in the middle of the yard.

“Daniel!” O’Neill yelled, prompting Jackson to move again. He grabbed the kid and ran over to them, while Matt decided that it was time he found out once and for all what the hell was going on here.

“McFarland!” he ordered. “Take Carter and go check out the main building.” McFarland nodded, while O’Neill grabbed Jackson’s arm to push him toward the gate. Jackson took up residence next to Teal’c, who was still standing, although Matt could see that he was in a lot of pain. With Teal’c, Jackson and the kid safe, Matt went back to studying the situation at hand.

He aimed his gun out toward the guards, but so far didn’t need to use it to cover McFarland and Carter. The guard that had been writhing on the ground was now up on his feet, determination clearly etched in his features as he walked slowly toward them. He tilted his head slightly, then closed his eyes in an obvious effort to ward off the agony, but he opened them and continued walking toward them. That Reymes guy must be getting weak, Matt thought, as he eyed the guard warily.

Matt and O’Neill both watched as the guard walked up to them, then stopped when he was within a few feet of their position. He stood there for a moment, staring at O’Neill, then turned suddenly and fired his weapon. Matt watched in amazement as the guard who had refused to hand over SG-1 at the beginning of the ordeal fell over. The man who had pulled the trigger turned back to O’Neill, then said, “NOW we are free.”

O’Neill nodded at the man, as a slow smile broke out over his face. Matt watched the whole scene playing out, not quite sure what had just happened, but figured that O’Neill had to have some idea of it all. With that in mind, Matt decided to just let O’Neill deal with the locals. He knew them better anyway.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Jack had been just as surprised as Reynolds when the overseer who had presided over Sam’s beating turned on his colleague. Jack couldn’t spare any sympathy for the dead man. He well remembered the man knocking him out cold that night he was caught looking for an escape route. But it still shocked him that the dayshift overseer would just up and shoot the guy. He smiled at the overseer as he realized what had happened. This man had helped in securing freedom for the guards and the slaves, and Jack hoped this meant that the others would finally figure out that freedom was theirs for the taking.

“Reymes is dead sir,” Carter’s voice rang out over the yard. Jack looked over to see her standing on the steps of the building, staring at them with concern clearly written all over her features. She looked over at the man who had violated her, then back at Jack, worry showing through in her face. Jack nodded at her, as she walked over to him, both knowing that their lives may still be in danger. But the guards, for the most part, were now milling about, clearly unsure of what to do. Their leaders were either dead or defecting to the enemy, and confusion reigned among them.

It was time to take over, Jack realized. He stepped out further into the compound with his gun aimed at the ground, although he still had his finger on the trigger. “You’re all free,” he said once again, wishing he had the words to really convince them. “Your master is dead. You can go home.” Murmurs drifted through the compound at that statement and Jack jumped on the bandwagon. “Home! You don’t have to stay here if you don’t want to. There’s no one left to hurt you like Reymes did.” Some of the slaves were now venturing out into the yard, moving out to face their futures. Carter came up to stand next to him, while Jack continued to talk to the residents of Reymes kingdom. “Come on, put your weapons down. You’re free!”

“Jack is right,” the dayshift overseer said. Jack turned to look at him, watching as the man took over. “Lord Reymes is dead and so is his nephew,” he added, as he pointed over to the dead overseer. “They are the only ones who had the power to keep us here and they are both dead.” The others kept their silence, but all eyes were on the man who was telling them what they wanted to hear. “We can be free.”

“His nephew,” Jack said quietly. It all made sense now that he thought about it. Reymes had to have somebody outside the main building to keep his guards from running. How else could he know what was going on in his kingdom? He never stepped foot outside of his ‘palace’, at least as far as Jack knew. With his nephew stationed outside, ready and willing to take on Reymes’ role as soon as he got the chance, they were able to make sure their rule was absolute.

“That explains how you and Colonel Reynolds were attacked at the same time,” Sam said quietly. “I just thought that Reymes had the ability to hurt more than one person at a time.”

“Prather’s power was not as strong as his uncle’s,” the overseer told them. “But it was still effective in keeping the others in line.” He looked out toward the yard, his expression suddenly sad. “I came here as a young man, at a time when there were not that many slaves. My father died not long after we arrived here. He had refused to become a slave.” He looked back at Jack, staring at him with determination. “But I swore that I would survive, and that one day I would be free.” He glanced at Sam, before turning back to Jack. “I learned what it took to be a guard, then worked hard to become an overseer. But I never forgot what it was like to be a slave. And I never forgot what it meant to be free.” Jack nodded at that. He knew the feeling. But the man was not finished. “Prather tried to hide his power, as it gave him free reign over the guards. No one knew he was the one that punished them when Reymes was not around. The guards did not know who to trust, which in turn, made them determined to never do anything to earn a punishment. But I knew. And I waited for the day when I could do something about it.” He shrugged his shoulders, and then said. “I watched everybody, trying to find out if anyone else had these powers. I had come to the conclusion that Reymes and Prather were the only ones when you and your people showed up.”

Jack nodded as he watched more and more slaves come out of their hiding places and were now milling about; the fires set up to light the area sending out warmth while at the same time, casting shadows across the yard. The overseer had been one of those slaves, but had learned to hide his thoughts of freedom and his feelings of despair as he waited for the chance to take on Reymes and his accomplice, as well as his efforts to make sure they were the only ones he needed to worry about.

Jack knew the feeling. He well remembered the many times he had to pretend to be somebody he wasn’t in order to survive. But still, he couldn’t help but wonder how many of these people were born into slavery and if they truly knew what freedom was all about.

“You are free now,” he told the overseer. The man nodded, while Jack had a sudden thought. “You guys are going to need to build more houses if you’re going to stay here.” The overseer just stared at him. Jack shrugged, then said, “I’m willing to bet that more than half of these people don’t even know where their homes are or how to get there.”

The overseer nodded as he turned once more to look at the people in the compound. “We will make do,” he told Jack. A few of the ex-slaves came up to them, apparently wanting to find out if Jack’s claims were true. Two men walked up to them, stopped for a second then walked toward the entrance of the compound. Jack watched them leave, a feeling of contentment washing over him as he realized that he had a role in securing their freedom. Freedom was something he definitely believed in. “Watch out for any guards out there who don’t know Reymes is dead,” he called out to them. The two men stopped to look at Jack, then turned to look at each other before moving off to the trees where Reynolds’ men had been stationed. Jack grinned as he watched them go. The others would soon be following them.

More and more people were coming out of the buildings, while a few of the guards decided to test their limits. Jack watched as they walked up to the overseer, who told them, “You are free to go if you wish.” One of them smiled, which Jack totally ignored, as he tensed up in anticipation of a fight. He had looked back toward the group of guards, only to see that Bransen was headed his way. If anyone deserved to be locked up, it was Bransen.

But apparently Bransen was not interested in a fight. He was only interested in his own freedom. He walked up to Jack and the others, stopping long enough to glare menacingly at Jack, before moving on toward the gate. Jack glared back, wishing he had the justification to just kill the bastard and be done with it. But without probable cause, his hands were tied. Reynolds and his men would have had quite a story for General Hammond if Jack had just shot the man down in cold blood.

He watched Bransen for a moment, anger at the injustice of the whole thing raging through him, then turned his attention toward a little boy who had gotten free of Daniel’s grasp and was running toward Jack at full speed. Joseph stopped suddenly, a worried look creasing his features, and Jack couldn’t help but smile at him. “C’mere you little runt,” he said affectionately, holding his arms out to catch the kid. Joseph came willingly, his arms hugging Jack’s neck so tightly that Jack was afraid he’d choke to death before he got the boy off of him. Jack held him tightly for a minute, before pulling away to look into the little boy’s face with a scowl. “What were you thinking?” he scolded. The memory of the fear he went through when he first saw Joseph running across the yard was still strong and Jack wanted to shake him. Instead, he lit into the child out of anger, an anger born of pure terror. “You could have been killed.” Joseph’s eyes filled with tears, but Jack was still too shook up to pay too much attention to them. “You scared me half to death. Don’t you ever do anything like that again. Do you hear me?” Joseph just stared back with a pout, his gray eyes filled with tears. Jack didn’t care. He didn’t even want to think about what he would have done if Joseph had been killed.

But it seemed that Joseph had an ally. “He’s just a kid, Jack,” Daniel said, as he came up to join them. “He didn’t know any better.”

“And that would have justified his death?” Jack asked sardonically. “He could have been killed, Daniel.”

Daniel nodded, obviously at a loss of words now that Jack had put it that way. This was so like the man, Jack thought, as he glared at Daniel. He was always sticking up for the underdog. But this time, it was at the expense of his teammates. “And you and I are going to have a long talk about running off on your own when we get back,” Jack told him angrily.

“You would have done the same thing,” Daniel shot back. “Yes you would, Jack,” he added, when Jack gave him an incredulous look. “But you couldn’t do it, so I did.” Jack stood there staring at Daniel, while Joseph wrapped his arms around Jack’s neck once again, trying to strangle him in his quest to find safety. The child was reacting to the anger between the two men, and Jack rubbed his back to calm him as he contemplated Daniel’s words. Daniel was right. Jack probably would have risked his own life to try to save Joseph, but it hadn’t been just his life at stake when Joseph had made his mad dash. He had the lives of all the SGC people to think of. He wanted desperately to save Joseph, but to do so would have jeopardized the lives of those he had sworn to protect.

Jack continued to rub Joseph’s back as he glared at his friend. Daniel knew Jack too well to think that he would sacrifice the lives of his team, as well as those who came to rescue him, just so he could save the life of one child. So Daniel had made the decision to risk his own life to save a little boy who had wormed his way into Jack’s heart. Jack looked away as he contemplated the anger he had harbored for his friend throughout the last week, and the deep gratitude that now conflicted with his anger. He reached out suddenly and grabbed Daniel by the hair on the back of his head and pulled him in for a hug, squashing Joseph as he did so. “Thank you,” he said, his voice filled with the gratitude and forgiveness he was now feeling. He hugged him a little tighter, causing Joseph to squeak, then pulled back to face a smiling Daniel. “Thank you,” he said again with a nod and a small smile of his own.

“You’re welcome Jack,” Daniel responded with a great deal of friendship behind the words. They stared at each other for a moment longer, before Daniel’s smile grew wider as he looked into Joseph’s face. “You okay there, little man?” he asked. Joseph nodded, while Jack grinned back at Daniel.

“We’re going to be okay,” he said, leaving the meaning behind the words unsaid.

He really didn’t have to elaborate. He could tell that Daniel understood when he nodded his head, then replied, “I’m glad to hear it.”

“Does this mean we can go now?” Reynolds asked impatiently. He was standing there next to a smiling Carter, both apparently watching the show, although Jack could tell that Reynolds didn’t seem to be enjoying it as much as Carter was.

Jack grinned at Carter, then said, “Well, I did want to say goodbye to some friends…” He left the statement open as he turned to stare at Reynolds, whose impatience was really starting to show through.

“Make it snappy,” he commanded; which really didn’t faze Jack at all and Reynolds knew it. Reynolds ended up shaking his head and rolling his eyes as Jack grinned cheekily at him.

“Sir,” Carter spoke up to interrupt what Jack hoped would have been another good show. “I’d like to see if I can find the weapons that we came with…?” Jack nodded, while Reynolds told Conner to go with her. Carter nodded, then smiled at Daniel before leaving. It was a conspiratorial smile, if Jack ever saw one.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Sam Carter was happy. She couldn’t help it. She and her teammates were free to go home, and best of all, it appeared as if Jack and Daniel were going to be on friendly terms again. She grinned at Daniel, then turned to walk toward the main building. The weapons had to be stored somewhere in there. They kept everything else there; it just stood to reason that their weapons would be there, as well.

Sam and Conner made their way toward the building, wading through the crowds as more and more people came out to see for themselves that freedom was theirs for the taking. Sam had almost made it to the building when her friend, Janna, came up to her, hope shining clearly in her eyes. “Is it true, Sam? We are free?”

“Yes, it’s true.”

“We can leave here?” Janna seemed to be having a hard time believing it, and Sam smiled at her before giving her a hug.

“Yes Janna,” Sam said emphatically, while grinning at her friend. “What are you still doing here?” Janna grinned, then hugged Sam tighter before running off toward a group of people who were milling about. Sam watched her go, before turning to go her own way. She stopped, though, when she saw that Jack was talking with Elda and a man who was holding Elda’s baby. Sam couldn’t help but wonder what they were talking about, then felt a deep ache in her heart when Jack pulled the woman into a hug. Sam quickly turned away, not wanting to spy on their good-byes, but then looked back to see if maybe she was mistaken. Jack held her for a moment longer, then stepped back and grinned at Elda and the man. Sam had seen enough, knowing that she didn’t have too much room to talk. Besides, she had a job to do. So she turned and led the way back to the main building, with Conner following right behind her, oblivious to Sam’s pain.

They found most of their belongings in a windowless room off of Reymes throne room. Sam and Conner were careful to step over the bodies near the front door as they made their way into the building, many of whom had people crying over them. Even Reymes had someone to mourn over his body, as a few of his personal slaves sat next to his body consoling each other. The very thought had Sam shaking her head. These were the same people who were terrified of the man and his rages, yet here they were mourning over him? It boggled the mind, but Sam didn’t dwell on that mystery for long. Who was she to question the loyalties of a person?

Sam’s joy at finding their stuff was short lived though, when she realized that their weapons were missing. Their clothes, packs and supplies had all been ransacked, as well, but it was apparent that whoever went through the packs and vests didn’t know what half of the stuff was used for because everything was scattered all over the place. One of the radios was under a chair, while one of Daniel’s books had been thrown into a corner. Sam shook her head when she saw a bandage that was half pulled out of an open package on the floor near her foot.

“Jeez,” Conner said, as he kicked at something on the floor. “What a waste!”

“Yeah,” Sam agreed. She stared out at the carnage in the room, then shook her head at the mess. She went over to a table on the side of the room and pushed aside a shield someone else must have been stripped of and reached for the G.D.O. that was sitting on the table behind it. She looked at it for a moment, then went back to searching for their weapons. Conner was already peering into a corner behind a chair, while Sam headed for a closed cabinet on the other side of the room. It was stocked full of all kinds of personal belongings, probably taken from other slaves, but still no weapons.

After several minutes of searching and gathering up what they could, Sam realized that the weapons must have been stashed somewhere else. She and Conner were just about to take the packs and go on another search, when Sam stopped dead in her tracks. The overseer who had shot his colleague was standing in the doorway watching them. Sam’s heart sped up as she stared back at him. Despite being a hardened veteran of many wars and battles, she was dealing with a slight case of panic as she stared at the man who had showed no qualms when he had presided over her beating and had violated her privacy so badly. But then he had apologized in his own way, Sam told herself sternly. Get a grip. So she braced her shoulders back and looked him square in the eye, daring him to even try touching her again.

“Under the floorboard,” he said instead.

Sam was a little nonplussed at that. Her expression went from belligerent to confused in a split second. “Huh?” She looked over at Conner who looked back at her and shrugged, then went to looking at the floor. Sam followed his lead, looking for anything that might give them a clue to what the overseer was talking about.

The man took a step into the room and Sam went on the defense. She was still leery of the guy, even if he did help them to free all of the slaves. She stopped looking for a trap door in the floor, and stood with her fists raised, ready and willing to beat the crap out of the guy.

He stopped and grinned at her, the first real emotion she had ever seen on his face. He pointed to the far wall, still grinning at her and Sam wanted to beat the crap out of him, just because. It was clear he found her antics amusing, and she didn’t particularly enjoy being laughed at. She glared at him, then said, “Connor, go check it out.”

“Yes ma’am,” Connor responded dutifully, as he went over to see if the guy was telling them the truth. “There’s a trapdoor over here, Major,” Connor reported, and Sam gave the overseer a warning glare before going over to check it out.

She was pleased to find their weapons, along with other weapons of all shapes and sizes. Sam didn’t even recognize some of them, but was already planning on dissecting them to find out how they worked when she got back to her lab at the SGC. The perks of the job, she called it, and she smiled to herself thinking about the fun she would have. But right now she had to get these things back to the Gate.

“Colonel Reynolds,” she said into the radio she had found during her search.

“Go ahead.”

“We found our weapons, along with some others. We’re going to need some help bringing them out.”

“I’ll send McFarland over there,” Reynolds responded. “I want to get out of this place pronto. Teal’c has a date with whatever doctor is on duty at the SGC, although his symbiote will probably heal him before we get there if you guys don’t get a move on.”

“Yes sir,” Sam said with a grin. Colonel Reynolds always was impatient when it came to heading back home. He was a little more articulate in his commands though, much more so than Colonel O’Neill. O’Neill would just tell her to get out there and expect her to be standing next to him in three seconds flat.

McFarland found them as they were sifting through the various guns, staff weapons, and alien looking weapons. Sam grabbed what she could and made to leave. She didn’t get far, as the overseer stood in front of the door with his arms crossed over his chest. She gave him an inquisitive look, while wondering if she was going to have to strong-arm him out of the way.

“You would leave us defenseless?” he asked.

Sam hadn’t thought much past her excitement of finding a treasure trove of weaponry, but now that he’d put it that way…

“We’re not going to take it all, just what we brought with us and maybe a few more to study…”

“You will take only what you brought with you.”

Just like that, Sam thought, as she glared at the man standing in front of her. He was expecting her to follow his orders, even though she was no longer a slave. Well, Sam had news for him. She would do what she damn well pleased. “You were able to defend yourselves out there when we were trying to escape. You’re not entirely defenseless.”

“The weapons we were allowed to use were clearly no match for your own. There may be others who will come here with weapons even more superior than yours. We will need these weapons to protect ourselves. You will take only what you brought with you.”

“I don’t think so,” Sam said defiantly. “I’m definitely going to take this with me.” She held up what looked like a radar gun, except that it had a small, barrel-like casing, three-quarters of a way around the trigger mechanism. Sam was determined to find out what it did and how it worked.

“You may take it, but you will leave the spears and the…”

He didn’t get to finish his sentence. Gunshots and shouts were heard from outside, while Colonel Reynolds’ voice shouted through the radio for Sam and her companions to get out there on the double.

They had incoming.


	18. Chapter 18

Damn it, Jack thought, as he thrust his hand out to Reynolds in an attempt to get more ammunition so that he could reload. Someone had apparently forgotten to tell the guards who had been stranded outside the compound that their leader was dead. Reynolds slammed a clip into Jack’s hand, which he promptly slid into the gun. He had figured that the guards who bolted for freedom would clue their friends in, but Jack should have known better. It was every man for himself in just about every world he had ever visited. Why would he have figured it would be different here? Reynolds was shouting orders into his radio while Jack and Daniel held off the guards – from the inside of the compound this time. Teal’c tried to help, but Jack knew that Teal’c’s wounds were hampering his movements, so Jack told him to sit this one out and to keep Joseph, who was sticking to Jack like a leech, out of the way.

Teal’c had pried Joseph away from Jack, and they were now hiding out behind the remnants of the compound entrance. With Joseph taken care of and the rest of the people inside the compound taking steps to find safety, Jack concentrated on the guards who were trying to kill him and his people.

“Throw down your weapons,” a voice just behind him yelled out. Jack turned, half expecting to see weapons pointed at him from the guards on the inside, but realized that the guard was more interested in total freedom. He was shouting at his comrades outside the gate. “Lord Reymes is dead and we can be free.”

Jack waited out the silence that followed, wondering how many more were out there. He briefly looked over at Carter when she came over to squat down next to him, but then looked back out toward the torch lit pathway, cursing the darkness beyond the path. Daylight was a long way off, but still Jack felt like a sitting duck with the fires of the compound lighting up the area, not to mention the torches that lit up the area just outside the gate. The dense grove of trees that hid the entrance from the Stargate was the perfect place to launch an attack.

“We can be free,” the guard yelled out again, only this time he said it in a tone that sounded like he was offering a tempting piece of information. “No one can hold us here against our will.” There was no response and Jack thought it ironic that those guys were using the same tactics Reynolds had used when he came to the compound. They were hiding out in the trees, strategically set up for an ambush of the compound. Jack scanned the tree line, looking for the two men Reynolds had left outside the gate. But they were only two against the multitude of guards that had been caught outside the compound.

“Over to the right,” Reynolds told him. Jack spared his colleague a glance, then nodded when Reynolds indicated with his head where his men were waiting for their orders. They were well hidden, but just having them there, gave Jack a sense of control. He went back to surveying the situation, while he waited for Reynolds to make his move. This was Reynolds’ mission, but Jack made use of the time by making his own assessments.

He tightened his grip on his gun when one of the guards outside the compound suddenly came forward. He stopped moving when he was clear of the trees, visibly debating his options. Jack watched as the man took in his surroundings, as well as everything that was going on inside the compound, his head swiveling back and forth as he looked for a trap. The man’s attitude was so blatantly obvious to Jack, that he briefly considered lowering his gun to show him that he was worrying over nothing. But he waited instead, wondering how long it would take for this guy to finally get a clue.

It didn’t take long, after all. The guard grinned at the man who had talked him down, then mentioned for his comrades to come out of hiding. The others did, although they moved hesitantly at first. Jack didn’t blame them at all. When a situation seemed to be too good to be true, it usually was. But it was his own hesitation to relinquish his aim that had him relating to the uncertainty the guards were dealing with. You just never knew whom to trust anymore.

Reynolds apparently shared Jack’s feeling of mistrust. He was using his radio to tell his men in the trees to hold tight, before standing up and cautiously stepping forward, his gun aimed toward the ground. It was a peace offering, one made with the confidence that his people would cover his ass if the battle took off again. Jack stayed where he was, his gun aimed and ready to do whatever it took to protect his colleague, while Reynolds’ men and Jack’s own teammates covered all areas of the compound, inside and out.

“Let’s not do this,” Reynolds told the guard. “We will win. We’re trained for this kind of warfare, you’re not. Just put your weapons on the ground and come on inside.”

“Are you certain that our Lord is dead?” the guard asked his friend, totally ignoring Reynolds and his threats. “What about the others?”

“It turns out there were only two and they are both dead,” one of the guards standing behind Jack said. “I am not going to hang around. Are you?”

“Are you sure that there were only two who held the power?”

That question had Jack involuntarily tensing up. He had figured that since no one else had collapsed into a screaming pile of agony, all the bad guys must have been taking care of. He found himself waiting on the response, even as he saw Reynolds’ gun come up slightly, while Carter wrapped her fingers tightly around the grip of her P-90. They were apparently thinking the same thing Jack was thinking. Nobody who went through that crap wanted to even think of going through it again.

“There were only two,” the dayshift overseer said, as he came up to join in on the negotiations. “Put down your weapons.”

The guard out in the compound stared at the man for a moment, then nodded as he set his weapon down on the ground. The others came out of hiding at that point, apparently used to doing whatever this guy told them to do. Jack watched as they slowly moved out into the open. He was ready to put them in their place, if the situation arose, but it turned out that the guards only needed absolute confirmation before giving up the fight. They were more than ready to give up their status for the freedom that was theirs for the taking.

Reynolds turned back to look at the overseer to ask, “Are there anymore out there?”

“I am not certain,” the overseer replied, causing Jack to roll his eyes. That figures, he thought, as he looked out toward the trees. Couldn’t things be easy, just this once?

“Figures,” Reynolds said. Jack looked over at him with surprise, but then decided Reynolds’ choice of words was just a coincidence. He stood up, glad to stretch his legs, then nodded as Reynolds went on to say. “We’re leaving anyway. Carter. Did you get everything?”

“As much as we could carry, sir.”

Reynolds nodded, then went about issuing orders. Jack half listened to the orders, as he stared at Carter suspiciously. He thought that she might be hiding something, but he knew she would come clean if holding out could possibly put them in danger, so he put the thought aside, fully intending to get it out of her later on.

He gave her a knowing smirk, watching as she stared back at him with concern, obviously wondering if he knew her secret. He didn’t, but it didn’t hurt to keep her on her toes, so he left her to go give Teal’c a hand. Joseph reached for him the moment he saw Jack, which made Jack pause. He had to break the news to the little boy, and Jack knew it was going to be hard.

“Hey there, big guy,” he said, as he knelt down to put himself at Joseph’s level. “We did it!” Joseph didn’t seem to appreciate Jack’s encouragement at all. He stared at Jack with tears in his eyes, his expression showing defeat. Jack pulled the kid into a hug, wondering how he was going to make this easier for them all. He was just going to have to do it, he realized. He pulled back to look into Joseph’s face, smiling at him to put him at ease, then said, “Elda says that you can stay with her. She likes you and you will even have a baby sister… Aw, come on. Don’t do that,” he added, as huge tears welled up in the little boy’s eyes. Joseph was shaking his head, his expression pleading with Jack not to leave him. “I have to Joseph. There’s nothing for you where I come from. And besides, you’ll have a family here.”

“No!” Joseph wailed, as he threw himself into Jack’s arms. “Please!” Jack didn’t know what to do. He hated to leave the kid like this, but he couldn’t take the boy with him and Jack didn’t have the words to convince him to stay.

“It’ll be all right,” he crooned, as he hugged the little boy. “You’ll be much happier here, I promise.”

The tears continued to fall, while Jack tried to calm him down. There really wasn’t anything else he could do, so he pulled back and stood up, looking down at the little boy one last time. Elda came up to help at that point, and she took Joseph’s hand as she gave Jack a sad smile. “He will be fine,” she promised, as she laid her hand on his arm. “I will take good care of him.”

Jack nodded, knowing she was right, but it was still hard to listen to Joseph’s sobs. “I have to go,” he told Joseph, one more time. He tried to harden his heart against the pain that was building up, but damn it, he had let that kid get too close. Joseph continued to scream and fight, but Jack did his best to ignore him as he went over to help Teal’c.

“You have no choice, O’Neill,” Teal’c said somberly. Jack could only nod his head. Sadness was eating away at him, but he knew he was doing the right thing. Joseph would not fit into Jack’s world back on Earth.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The walk back to the Stargate was hard on Teal’c. He would not admit it to any of his companions, but the wound in his side was still painful and every step caused him great agony. He was propped up between O’Neill and Daniel Jackson, and he tried not to lean into either one of them. He knew that they were both injured, as well, but as was the norm, they were more concerned with Teal’c’s comfort.

They had waited for dawn before heading out, yet the journey to the Stargate still took longer than normal, due to his injury. Teal’c wanted to speed things up. His symbiote was already trying to heal the injury, but Teal’c knew that the healing would go much faster if he would enter into a deep state of Kel’No’Reem.

The child had broken free from the woman who had tried to hold him back and was now walking next to O’Neill. Despite the stubbornness that the child displayed, Teal’c had to admit that he was a brave little boy. The child knew the consequences of his actions, yet he continued to take risks in his efforts to be with O’Neill. Courage was an admirable trait; it was the foolish, impetuous risks that the child took that had Teal’c shaking his head with unease. He could only hope that the child would become more cautious as he grew older.

O’Neill was talking to the child, deliberately embellishing the darker side of Earth’s characteristics in order to convince the boy that he was better off staying with Elda, who was walking along behind them. Teal’c listened to O’Neill’s words, remembering his own concerns when he was new to that planet. The images reflected to him through the medium known as television had him temporarily believing that he would have been much safer dealing with the enemies of Apophis. He had since learned that the people of Earth were not all bad, but to hear O’Neill tell it, as he spoke to the child, the planet was rife with chaos.

Teal’c stumbled, groaning slightly as pain built up in his side and his leg. He had sustained an injury to the limb when the first of the explosions threw him back against a building, leaving him dazed and slightly confused. It had taken great effort to fight against the pain and confusion to realize that he and his friends were being rescued; yet he still had trouble responding to his desire to move when the second explosion had rent the air. He had finally got up and had been heading toward the compound’s entrance when several slaves raced past him, apparently to find safety from the explosions that were welcomed sounds to Teal’c. He found himself, once again, on the ground, struggling against the pain to rise and to make his way to freedom.

The wound in his leg, coupled with the injury in his side, was taking its toll. But it didn’t deter the intuition that Teal’c relied on to keep him alive. They were being watched, and apparently O’Neill realized this as well, because he had stopped talking to the boy and tensed up, bringing his gun up in an effort to defend them from the danger that seemed to lurk within the atmosphere.

“Harper,” Colonel Reynolds said into his radio, the edginess in his voice telling Teal’c that the Colonel was also aware of the danger. “We’re on our way.” He stopped for a second to look around, then said, “Be on the alert. We may need backup.”

“Yes sir,” Harper responded.

“Joseph,” O’Neill said in a tone that brooked no argument. “Come walk on my other side.” But his demand came too late. Several shots rang out from the cover of trees closest to O’Neill. Everyone dropped to their knees, including Teal’c, who ignored the agony that raced through his entire body when his injuries protested the movement. But Teal’c could only focus on the little boy, who was screaming and crying as he lay on the ground with blood staining his shirt.

“Oh my God! Joseph!” Major Carter cried out. O’Neill was struggling to rise, but Teal’c knew that his friend was seriously injured himself. Still, O’Neill continued with his efforts to reach the little boy, while Colonel Reynolds barked orders into his radio. Major Carter and Elda were at the child’s side and the others began to form a shield around them, even as they joined Teal’c in scanning the trees in hopes of finding the men who had shot down a little boy in cold blood.

Teal’c grabbed O’Neill’s gun and fired at the person who briefly surfaced from the cover of the trees. He missed, but he was determined to do what he could to protect the lives of the people he had come to value.

“Give me the gun,” O’Neill growled at him. He had gotten up and was now kneeling next to Teal’c, his face pale, yet set in determination. Teal’c briefly debated the wisdom of handing over the weapon and leaving himself defenseless, but the look in O’Neill’s eyes gave him the incentive to hand the gun over to his friend. Blood seeped through O’Neill’s shirt, indicating a wound to his side, but Teal’c knew that the injury would not stop his friend.

A few people were running toward them from the compound, which worried Teal’c. He had no idea what their intentions were, and he knew better than to count on their help even if he and his companions had helped to secure their freedom. His worries were for nothing, it seemed, as the men who showed up knelt down next to them and joined them in looking for the culprits.

“You helped us. We will help you.” O’Neill nodded, but then went back to plotting his revenge. Teal’c had known the man too long to think otherwise.

Another shot was fired from the direction of the trees. Teal’c hated being out in the open like this, but the closest thing to shelter that he could see were the trees that hid the people who were shooting at them. If they had been able to get around the edge of the woods, where the field spread out, they would have been able to see the Stargate and the SGC men left behind to guard it. Teal’c could only hope that their backup from that team would ensure that he and his companions made it to safety.

“Come out and face us!” O’Neill shouted. No response, which was to be expected. But O’Neill couldn’t let the situation go on. “What the hell were you thinking? You shot a kid!” Teal’c continued to scan the trees, as O’Neill tried to convince their attackers that a fight was unnecessary. “Come out and let’s talk about this.”

“He told you about it, didn’t he?” The question came back at them from the trees, which surprised Teal’c. The man might as well have held up a sign stating, ‘Here I am, come and get me’. O’Neill took advantage of the opportunity and raised his gun to shoot at the man and missed. The man was insistent though. “I tried to warn him that I would kill him if he told anyone, but he told you anyway.”

“Bransen.”

O’Neill had snarled the word, nearly at the same time that the overseer who had joined them spoke up. “This is not the way to handle this, Bransen. They are leaving and won’t be back. Let them go in peace.”  
But apparently, Bransen was not listening. He fired a shot that hit the dirt just in front of O’Neill, then said, “I had heard that the boy talked to you, and I knew he would tell you what I had done. I cannot let either one of you live.”

“Keep him talking,” Colonel Reynolds advised, which prompted an incredulous look from Teal’c. Colonel Reynolds glanced over at Teal’c, then shrugged, as he said. “It’ll make it easier for my men to find him.”

Teal’c nodded at that, although he still had to wonder about Colonel Reynolds’ sanity. Would it not be more prudent to shoot the man to end it? But given that the man was still alive after repeated attempts to kill him, perhaps Colonel Reynolds was right in procuring back up.

Apparently, O’Neill agreed with his colleague. “I don’t know what you’ve done, Bransen, and right now, I don’t care.” He was staring at the spot where the man was last seen, while Teal’c took the gun Daniel Jackson was carrying to aid in their defense. His friend gave up his gun willingly, then moved back to see what he could do for the child. “He didn’t tell me anything, except that he wanted to leave with me. That’s all.” The only response O’Neill got for his efforts was another shot that barely missed its mark. “Come on Bransen,” O’Neill shouted, “The boy’s dead. You did what you set out to do. Come on out and let’s talk.”

Teal’c knew that Bransen would not cooperate with O’Neill’s demands. He also knew that if Bransen had stepped out from his hiding place, O’Neill would have shot him on the spot, without another thought nor any warning. Teal’c recognized the danger in his friend, despite the outward appearances that reflected friendliness and peace.

“He’s dead, Bransen. And he died without telling me anything. Your secret is safe.”

“Liar!” Bransen screamed, as he stepped out to launch an all out attack. Teal’c, O’Neill and the others immediately started shooting their own weapons. Bransen fell to the ground when he was hit, but then scrambled to get up and dove behind the trees again to find shelter.

“Damn it,” O’Neill growled. He was on the alert, as were all the members of their group, but Teal’c knew that O’Neill was focused on killing Bransen. Teal’c knew why and was prepared to assist his friend in any way he could. He would not have it any other way.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Jack was furious. He had known that Bransen hated Joseph for some reason, but he hadn’t realized that Bransen would resort to killing the kid over it. He glanced back to check once more on the welfare of the little boy, smiling slightly when Carter nodded at him.

“We have to get him to the infirmary, sir.”

Jack gave her a slight nod of the head, as he went back to staring at the trees. Bransen had been hit, but apparently he was still alive, which didn’t sit well with Jack. The bastard was dead meat, as far as Jack was concerned. “You’re a dead man, Bransen,” he yelled, determined to set the man straight. There was no way Bransen was going to get away with this. He continued to scan the tree line, looking for anything that would give him an indication of where to start shooting again.

“Colonel Reynolds,” a voice spoke up from Reynolds’ radio.

“Give me good news,” Reynolds responded.

“Can’t do that sir.” Jack sent a glare toward the radio at that bit of news, then went back to looking for Bransen. “We’ve found blood, but nothing else.”

“Did he leave a trail?” Reynolds wanted to know.

“Looks like he’s headed away from the Stargate.”

Crap, Jack thought angrily. He knew what was going to happen next. Reynolds looked over at him, and Jack shook his head while mouthing the word, “No,” already knowing what Reynolds next words were going to be. Reynolds shrugged, then said, “We’re heading back to the Gate. Stay alert and meet us there.”

“Yes sir.”

“Damn it, Reynolds,” Jack growled out. He couldn’t leave it like this. He had to be sure Bransen was dead. Joseph’s future depended on it.

“We’re leaving here now, O’Neill,” Reynolds commanded. “Carter. How’s the kid?”

“The bullet hit him in the shoulder and is lodged in there,” she reported, her eyes wide with concern. “We have to get him to the infirmary as soon as possible.”

Reynolds nodded, and then began issuing commands right and left. “Let’s go! McFarland, grab the kid and be careful with him. Teal’c, you going to make it?” Teal’c nodded, but Jack barely saw the movement. He was focused on finding Bransen, hoping for a clean shot. “Harper, we’re on our way,” Reynolds continued. “Be ready. O’Neill.” Jack kept looking out toward the trees, but Reynolds was determined. “O’Neill,” he snarled, causing Jack to look at him. “Let’s go.”

Jack nodded, but still took one more look out toward the trees before turning back to join his comrades in heading back to the Gate. The people from the compound went with them, a few coming up to help Jack and Teal’c make the trip. Jack let them help, although he had a firm grip on his gun. He limped along, still scanning the trees every other step, hoping to get the chance to send Bransen to Hell with a bullet in his brain. But somehow he knew he wasn’t going to get the chance. If Bransen was alive, and Jack figured that he probably was, he wouldn’t be stupid enough to show his face again.

Despite the disappointment of not getting to kill Bransen, the Stargate was still a glorious sight for Jack. He could hear Joseph sobbing in McFarland’s arms, and Jack had learned long ago that fear was a much stronger emotion than disappointment. He was terrified that the little boy was going to die and he started shouting for the men at the Gate to start dialing the minute he saw them.

They got to the Stargate just as the wormhole settled down into the swirling mass of energy. Daniel and Teal’c went through it, followed closely by Carter and McFarland, who was carrying a child that kept screaming out Jack’s name. The screams cut off abruptly, as the child disappeared. The others were disappearing through the event horizon as soon as they could, but Jack stopped long enough to calm Elda’s fears. “He’ll be okay,” he insisted, when he saw her concern. “I’ll make sure of it.”

She nodded at him, then reached out and pulled him into a hug. “I know that,” she told him. “But I was more concerned for your safety.” He nodded as he returned the hug, holding her tightly as he mumbled his good-byes.

He pulled back, then smiled at her, before turning to the man who had come to the rescue, once again. “Thank you,” he said, hoping the man would believe the sincerity of the words.

“We owe you our freedom.” They nodded at each other, speaking without words of the camaraderie that was building up between them. But Jack had a more pressing issue waiting for him back at the SGC, so he turned to make his way to the wormhole. “We will do what we can to find Bransen.” Jack turned back and nodded, although he knew that it didn’t matter any more. Joseph was on Earth now, a place where Bransen would never be able to find him. He was going to be safe - if he survived his injury.

He turned and limped up to the Stargate where Reynolds was waiting impatiently for him. Jack patted him on the arm, and then stepped into the wormhole, knowing that Reynolds was right behind him.


	19. Chapter 19

The first thing Jack looked for when he stepped onto the ramp at the SGC was Joseph. He needed to know that the kid was going to be okay. Carter and McFarland were standing at the end of the ramp, with their backs to him, while Doc Fraiser was already making her assessments of the welfare of the child in McFarland’s arms. Jack made his way over to them, but was stopped by General Hammond, who said, “Welcome home, Colonel. Care to tell me what’s going on?”

“Thanks for the save, sir,” Jack responded, although he didn’t take his eyes off of the little group standing at the end of the ramp. “We were working on an escape plan of our own, but yours was much better.”

The General grinned at that, but Jack didn’t pay much attention. He was more worried about Joseph. “Uh… sir?” He pointed toward Carter and the Doc and was rewarded when the General nodded his assent.

“Of course,” Hammond told him. “We’ll talk when you have had time to get checked out.”

Jack nodded, but he was already up to the little group by that time. The doctor was shouting orders at her staff, while she went over to check out Teal’c and his injuries. A gurney was brought in at that moment, and McFarland laid the terrified little boy on it, while Jack came up to see what he could do. Joseph had resorted to complete silence, as he stared at all the people who were surrounding him. Tears streamed down his face, although no sounds came out, so Jack smiled at the boy, who immediately reached out with his good arm toward him.

“Hey there. You’re safe now. Bransen will never be able to find you here. I promise.” The gurney started to move and Joseph started screaming the moment he was out of Jack’s sight. Jack tried to keep up, but they were moving too fast for him. The wound in his side brought agony with every step.

He followed the screams until Carter made the nurses stop pushing the gurney along, and Jack smiled at her when he finally caught up. “Maybe if you sit with him?” she suggested, which had Jack considering defying regulations and hugging her on the spot. Instead he limped over and allowed one of the nurses to help him get up on the gurney, then relaxed as the gurney started moving again.

Joseph had quieted down when Jack began rubbing his belly. He was careful to stay away from the area where the blood had seeped through, as he didn’t know the extent of the kid’s injury. But his presence alone had stopped the screaming, if not the tears, so Jack continued to run his hand over Joseph’s stomach. “I’m here,” he crooned softly. He could only hope that his words would stop the tears, as well. “You’re safe now. No ones going to hurt you ever again. Shhh. I’m here now.”

The words seemed to have an affect on the kid. Joseph quieted down and stared at Jack, as they rode down the hallway on that gurney. Jack continued to croon softly, using a trick he had learned long ago with his own son. The softer the tones, the quieter the child got so that he could hear what the person was saying. Jack suspected that it may also have something to do with the smooth tones calming the kid, but as long as it worked, he really didn’t care one way or the other.

He talked to Joseph the whole way, putting in a little extra effort when the elevator took off. Joseph was frightened by it, but Jack made sure to smile at him and tell him that it was just like going through the Stargate that had brought him here. Only this time, his atoms were not spread out all over the galaxy.

“Sir,” Carter groaned. She shook her head in exasperation when Jack gave her an innocent look. He then turned his attention back to Joseph, smiling at him as he continued to talk about anything that came to mind.

The infirmary was buzzing when they got there. Nurses were setting up beds and running around doing whatever it was nurses did, while a few of the nurses immediately came over to get Joseph set up for surgery. Terror moved in as Jack thought about the surgery. He had convinced himself that Joseph was going to be okay based on his alertness up to this point, but now they were talking about going in and digging out the “foreign object”. Jack remembered the last time a child he cared deeply for went through surgery because of a gunshot wound. His son had died anyway, and now here was Joseph, who was a lot younger than Charlie was… God, he wasn’t so sure he could go through that again.

But he kept his fears to himself, especially around Joseph. He didn’t want to scare the kid, so he stayed and talked to Joseph through the needle that was inserted for his IV, holding him tightly as the kid screamed out in pain. He held him and talked to him, doing whatever it took to calm the boy until the sedative finally took effect. He finally got up and got into the next bed when Joseph’s eyes closed in sleep. Jack was tired, as well, but he lay there and let the nurses tend to his injuries, silently wishing he could be in there watching the surgery from the observation booth.

Instead, he lay on the bed, answering health related questions, and generally grouching at anyone who got near. Exhaustion played a big role in Jack’s treatment, though. Despite the pain from his injuries and the worry he was dealing with, he fell asleep during Doctor Fraiser’s examination, unable to keep his eyes open any longer.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“He’s going to be fine, Colonel.”

Daniel sat next to Jack as Janet Fraiser did her best to convince the man that Joseph was going to survive. Jack nodded his head, but Daniel could tell that his friend wasn’t entirely convinced. They were sitting on the bed next to where Joseph slept, both dealing with their own injuries as best as they could.

“I was able to extract the bullet and so far there is no sign of infection.” Jack didn’t even acknowledge her words this time. Janet sighed, then said, “We’re doing everything we can for him, Colonel. He’ll be up and terrorizing the personnel in no time.”

“Terrorizing?” Jack responded. He shook his head, then said, “You apparently don’t know this kid.” Janet nodded in agreement, but Jack had other things on his mind. “Is there a possibility for an infection to set in?”

“There’s always the possibility for anything to happen, but we’re going to keep an eye on him for several days, just to make sure. If anything happens, we’ll handle it.”

Daniel knew that Janet would do whatever it took to keep her patient alive. Joseph was in good hands, no matter what Jack thought.

“Thanks,” Jack said, as he sent a small smile toward Janet. She nodded at them, then smiled at Daniel, as she turned to leave.

“I’ll be in my office,” she told them, although Daniel had the feeling that Jack wasn’t even listening to her. “Call me if you need me.”

“We will,” Daniel said. She left the room, leaving Daniel and Jack in a room filled with silence that was broken only by the hiss and beeps emitted by the machines Joseph was hooked up to. Daniel shifted a little, trying to ease the ache in his side that had been his constant companion ever since that guard had hit him after taking the radio away from him. It turned out that the guard had broken one of Daniel’s ribs, but Daniel wasn’t complaining. It could have been worse.

He looked over at Jack, wondering at the stamina the man had to be able to put up with his own injuries. He was wearing a cast on his left arm, due to the fracture that Sam had worried about, and Daniel knew that there was a huge bandage wrapped around his stomach to help in healing the damage done when Bransen’s bullet had passed through the skin in his side. Not to mention the various bumps and bruises, as well as the healing cuts on his back that had to be causing him some discomfort. Yet he continued to go on about his business as if there was nothing wrong. Daniel couldn’t help but wonder what pushed Jack O’Neill to keep him going like this.

“What?”

Daniel shook his head, even though the question startled him. He hadn’t realized that Jack was paying any attention to him and his scrutiny. Jack went back to watching Joseph sleep, when Daniel realized that this was a perfect opportunity to talk.

“Have you and Sam talked things out, yet?”

Jack turned to look at Daniel for a moment, then nodded his head, as he turned back toward Joseph. “Yeah,” he said.

“And?”

“And what?”

“Are you guys back to the way you’ve always handled things?” Daniel knew that Jack was deliberately holding back, but this was way too important for Daniel to let it go. He and Sam had become closer friends due to the forced relationship they shared on that planet, and Daniel was determined that she not be the one who ended up hurt the most by their actions.

“Nothing has changed,” Jack finally replied. “I’m still her commanding officer.” Daniel nodded, but he was still considering punching his friend out. Getting anything out of Jack O’Neill was like pulling teeth, which meant Daniel nearly always had to fight for the information. But Daniel knew how to get through to Jack, and he figured he would use whatever ammunition he could find in order to find out what his friend was thinking.

“Did she tell you about her feelings for you?”

“You mean the part where she has my death planned, right down to my last breath?” Daniel had to laugh at that one. Jack had pissed her off plenty of times. Daniel had spent way too many hours listening to Sam grouch about something Jack had done over the years to think that everything was roses between them. But he also knew that Jack was avoiding the subject. It was a subject that Daniel needed to talk about.

“Let me ask you this, Jack,” Daniel said hesitantly. He knew he was treading in dangerous waters, but he also knew that the best way to get a straight answer out of his friend was to come right out and ask. “If you were transferred out of this place tomorrow, would you want to start a relationship with Sam?”

“Transfer out?” Jack asked with a grin. “You know something I don’t?” Daniel turned away to glare at the wall past Joseph’s bed. Jack was going to try to weasel out of this, and it was really only a matter of time before the joking attitude turned into anger. But Daniel was determined to help his friends work out their problems.

He turned back to face his friend, then shook his head, before saying, “You know what I mean, Jack.” Jack’s smile disappeared as he stared at Daniel, who stared back and waited patiently for an answer. Jack went back to looking at Joseph, apparently deciding not to respond. “Jack…”

“It’s none of your business, Daniel.”

“The hell it isn’t. If I’m the one who has destroyed everything…,” Daniel stopped speaking for a moment, then lowered his voice again to keep from waking Joseph up. “You, yourself, told me that you cared deeply for her. Was that all a lie?”

“You had a job to do, Daniel. It couldn’t have gone down any other way.” Daniel nodded at Jack’s words, although he still felt bad about coming between his friends. But Jack wasn’t finished. “And just as you had a job to do, I’m going to do what I have to do to make sure my team survives whatever we face out there.” He leaned in closer to Daniel and stared into his eyes, as he said, “I can’t let any personal feelings affect my decisions, including what I would or would not do if I was transferred out of here tomorrow.”

Daniel stared at Jack, as his friend pulled back and turned his attention toward the little boy who was still sound asleep. He understood Jack’s thoughts on the matter, even though it didn’t answer his question. Jack was telling him that it didn’t matter what he wanted out of life. What mattered was the job, as well as the future battles they would be facing.

“The enemy only wants to win,” Jack said, bringing Daniel out of his musings. He was a little confused about the change of subject, but Jack apparently had something to say. “They will use anything to further their cause, even if it’s on a personal matter.” Daniel nodded at his friend, although he was still wondering where Jack was going with this train of thought. “I had let those guards in on my feelings for Carter, and they immediately used it against me. But you know? It could have been worse, Daniel. Next time, another enemy just might kill her to get back at me.” He turned to look at Daniel again, then said. “I won’t ever put her or anyone else in danger like that again. As far as I’m concerned, she is just a team member, and a brilliant one at that.”

Daniel hated it when Jack was right. As much as Daniel wanted to keep Sam from a broken heart, he was more interested in saving her life. Joseph whimpered at that moment and both men jerked up to come to the rescue, if needed. Joseph was still asleep though, which was a good thing.

Daniel eyed Joseph warily, then turned to Jack, who had relaxed now that Joseph was settled back in. “What’s going to happen to him?” He nodded toward Joseph to indicate whom he was talking about, although he really didn’t need to.

Jack looked relieved at the change of subject and willingly kept the topic going. “He can’t go back to that planet. Bransen wants him dead, and there’s no way I will settle for sending him back.” He sent Daniel a guilty grin then told him, “I’m prepared to do some pretty heavy begging.”

Daniel smiled back, knowing he’d pay big money to see Jack O’Neill beg. “You know I’ll be right there helping you, right?”

Jack nodded, his smile making Daniel believe that everything really would be all right between them. “I really hadn’t thought past keeping him alive, but he’s a cute kid. I’m sure somebody out there will want to adopt him.”

“I don’t know, Jack. He seems to have already adopted you. He might not settle for anyone else.”

Jack grimaced at that, then said on a hopeful note, “Now that he’s away from the one person who was threatening to hurt him, maybe he’ll be more receptive to someone else.” Daniel shrugged his shoulders, wincing a little at the pain that swept through him with the movement, then grinned when Jack said in a dejected tone, “I didn’t think so either.”

“We’ll come up with something,” Daniel said with conviction. He knew that with time and patience, Joseph would grow out of his fear. Daniel just hoped that whoever took him in would understand the fear.

“Yeah.” Jack was back to watching Joseph sleep, while Daniel watched Jack. He wondered if he would get away with asking his question, one more time, but he and Jack were on good terms again. Did he really want to screw things up now?

“I’m going to go get something to eat,” Daniel said, instead. “You hungry?”

“Nah,” Jack responded, as he spared Daniel a glance. “I’m going to hang around for this guy to wake up. It’s probably best if I’m here to keep him from screaming down the place.”

“I’ll bring you something back, then,” Daniel told him. He started to get up, then decided to hell with it. “Will you satisfy my curiosity, please?” Jack gave him a confused look, which prompted Daniel to say, “Transfer out tomorrow?”

Jack stared at him for several minutes, probably debating on what to use to do some serious damage to Daniel. But he then looked away for a second, before turning back to face him head on. “Yeah,” he admitted reluctantly. He shrugged, then added, “If she would have me, that is.”

“Yes!” Daniel practically shouted, then looked guilty at the little boy, who hadn’t even flinched. He turned to look back at his friend, who was grinning broadly at Daniel’s exuberant reaction. “You’re a good man, Jack O’Neill.”

Jack’s smile turned into a worried look. “You’re not going to get mushy on me, are you?”

“Uh uh,” Daniel had to say. “I like living, you know.” Jack smiled at him again, while Daniel decided now was a good time to leave the man alone. Daniel had gotten what he wanted; now it was up to Jack to mend his fences with Sam. Daniel could only hope it would be soon.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The hallway outside Joseph’s room was crowded when Jack came for a visit a few days later. Several women were standing around talking to Siler, who was standing in the middle of the little group. He looked so uncomfortable that Jack couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. “What’s going on here? Don’t you have some place to be, Sergeant?”

“Yes sir,” Siler responded with a look that clearly showed his relief. Jack grinned at the man’s back as he raced down the hall. He hadn’t seen Siler move that fast since that time… He shook his head at the memory, then turned to enter the room. Joseph was sitting on the bed, his eyes wide as he watched everything one of the nurses was doing to him. “Hey Joey,” Jack said, grinning broadly when Joseph turned on a full smile at the sight of Jack. “How are you holding up?”

“Jack!” Joseph said, as he reached out for him. Jack immediately obliged to the request by going over to sit down on the bed and pulling Joseph on to his lap.

“It’s about time you got here, Colonel,” Annie, one of the nurses said. “We’ve been trying to take out his IV, but every time we get near him, he throws a fit.”

“I don’t blame him,” Jack replied, as he faked a shudder for Joseph. Joseph pushed himself closer to Jack’s chest, while still watching the nurses warily.

“Excuse me, sir,” Annie said with exasperation, “But you’re not helping us out here.”

Jack chose to ignore the sarcasm, especially since he knew she was right. He grinned at Joseph instead, hoping to ease his fears. “Let’s get that thing out of you so that you and I can go play some ball. You like to play ball, don’t you?” Joseph was not falling for it. He shook his head and buried the hand with the IV between their bodies. Jack sighed, as he tugged on the kid’s arm, forcing it out into the open again. “It’s only going to hurt for a moment or two, that’s all.” Joseph started to cry, making Jack feel like a monster. But he knew Joseph would be much happier without the IV, so he wrapped his arms around the kid, holding him tightly as he nodded at the nurse. “Annie’s just going to take that thing out, okay?” Joseph shook his head violently, as he tried to pull his hand back into safety, but Jack was just as determined. He held on while Joseph screamed and fought against the nurse’s efforts, his struggles making it harder for her, even though the other nurse was doing whatever she could to help out. Annie finally removed the IV, leaving a sobbing child hanging on to Jack for dear life. “It’s all over,” Jack soothed into the kid’s hair. “Come on, don’t cry. You’re making Annie feel bad.” And me too, Jack wanted to say, but didn’t. He never wanted to hurt the kid, yet here he was holding him down to let someone else do the honors.

The other nurse left the room when Joseph had calmed down, although he continued to cling to Jack with a vengeance. Jack held him close, while Annie held a bandage over the place where the IV had resided. They sat there for a few minutes, quietly waiting for the blood to clot enough for Annie to put a band-aid on it. Jack continued to snuggle with Joseph while they waited, glad that the tears had quieted down to sniffles.

Jack used a tissue to wipe Joseph’s nose, while Annie smiled at the kid, who apparently wasn’t going to fall for her tricks again, because he leaned further into Jack’s chest. She pulled out a band-aid and put it on the wound. Jack gave her an incredulous look when he saw that it had a picture of a cartoon dog on it. This was a military base. He didn’t even want to know why they had Scooby Doo band-aids on base.

“People have been bringing this little guy goodies ever since he got away from us yesterday,” Annie told him with a grin. She indicated with her head several bags that were lined up along the wall, then said, “Clothes, toys and yes, even band-aids.” Jack smiled at the kid, while Annie went on with her narrative, “I don’t think he even knows what half that stuff is, but they bring it in anyway.”

“His fifteen minutes of fame,” Jack responded quietly. He looked down at the child who had come to mean a great deal to him, then smiled at him when Joseph turned his gray eyes up to stare back at him. The kid really was a cute little boy.

“He’s definitely popular,” Carter said from the doorway. Jack looked up to see her walking toward them, her smile aimed at Joseph. “Hey there,” she said encouragingly. “I see that they finally got that thing out of your hand.”

Joseph nodded, while Jack tried not to feel so uncomfortable. Every time he was around her, he kept thinking of that conversation that he’d had with Daniel the other day. He had admitted to his feelings to his friend, and it seemed that speaking those words out loud caused him to dwell on it every time he saw her. He steeled his resolve in keeping things with her on a professional basis, then told her, “He even got a Scooby Doo band-aid for his efforts. How come I didn’t get one?” He put on a pout to emphasize his point, and Carter smiled broadly at him. Jack was glad to see the smile, because it meant that he had been successful once again in hiding his inner turmoil.

“Does he still have the crucifix?” Carter asked, surprising Jack.

‘What?”

“Yes,” Annie told her. She smiled at Jack’s confusion, then pointed to Joseph’s clenched fist, which was resting in a sling. He reached over to try to unclench the fingers, but Joseph held tight.

“Can I see it?” Jack could only hope that wheedling would do the trick. “I just want to see it, that’s all.”

His wheedling worked. Joseph opened his fingers to show Jack his prize, and Jack smiled conspiratorially at the kid when Annie asked Carter, “How does he do that?”

“He has a way with kids,” Carter responded. She was smiling at him when he glanced over at her, but Jack was more interested in Joseph’s prize. It was a tiny gold crucifix that was getting tangled up in the slender gold chain connected to it.

“Pretty,” he mumbled to the kid, who was already closing his fingers back over the cross. “Where did he get it?”

“It belongs to Carol,” Annie said, as she smiled at the kid in Jack’s lap. “He grabbed it when it slipped out of her shirt and nearly choked her to death before she was able to get away from him.” Jack grinned at the image of a tiny little boy holding down a grown woman and wrestling a necklace away from her. “He gave her that puppy dog look and she caved in like an overindulgent grandmother.” Joseph snuggled closer to Jack, while Annie continued with her explanation. “It was given to her by her mother, which is why she’s reluctant to let him keep it.”

“You have to give it back,” Jack told the boy, who immediately shook his head and pulled his fist in closer to his body. “Come on. You know you can’t keep it.” Joseph didn’t seem to care about what Jack wanted. He continued to clutch the crucifix in his hand, while Carter went on to explain her thoughts on the subject.

“Daniel seems to think that the cross reminds him of his real family,” she said, as she smiled warmly at Joseph. “We’re now thinking that he did come from a planet where Christianity was widely practiced.”

“Yeah, but to hear Carol tell it, the cross symbolizes a miracle,” Annie jumped in to say. She rolled her eyes at Jack, then said, “She’s convinced that the Good Lord himself has taken this child’s welfare into his hands.” Jack grinned at that, but didn’t respond, which was a good thing because Carol chose that moment to walk into the room.

“And what’s wrong with that?” Carol demanded, although she sent a warm smile toward Joseph. Joseph apparently didn’t like all the attention he was getting, because he tried to shrink even further into Jack’s chest.

“Come on Carol,” Annie said impatiently. “With all the false gods that have graced the halls of this place, you can’t really still believe…”

“Yes I can and I will.” But Carol didn’t seem to be angry, quite the contrary. The twinkle in her eyes had Jack looking over at Carter with bemusement. Carter looked back at him, trying hard to hide her smile. He was thinking about coming up with something witty to say that would guarantee her smile, then lost all train of thought when Carol said to him, “What do you think about it, Colonel?”

“Uh… well…” Jack looked over at Carter again, hoping for some help, only to see that she had dropped all pretenses of hiding her smile, and was in fact, grinning broadly at him. He scowled at her, then turned his attention back to the nurses. “I am so not going there,” he told them in his best authoritative voice.

“But Colonel…” Annie said, obviously gearing up to drag him into the argument.

Jack stopped her with a wave of his hand and a loud shushing noise. “No way,” he told her. “I’m not that dumb.” All he got for that statement was confused looks, which prompted Jack to state the obvious. “You both carry BIG needles.” He held his hands out wide to illustrate his point, which caused Annie to laugh outright and Carol to shake her head, while smiling at his antics.

“Yes sir,” Carol said, as she tried to look stern. She was failing miserably in hiding her smile and apparently decided to just give it up. Instead she came over and showed Joseph a small box that she had been holding, smiling at him indulgently. “Look what I got you.”

Joseph stared at the box suspiciously, then looked up at Jack, apparently to get his opinion. Jack nodded at him, then nudged him to take it. “Go on,” he said, when Joseph still hesitated. The kid finally took the box, holding it in his free hand, while looking at it curiously. Jack was just about to grab it so that he could open it for the kid, when Joseph held it out for him to do the honors.

Jack grinned at him, then opened it to find a small crucifix lying on a white velvet lining. Carol apparently figured that the only way she was going to get hers back was to give Joseph one of his own. He showed it to Joseph, while Carol started her spiel.

“I figured you would rather have one of your own,” she said, with a smile. “It even has its own chain so that you can put it around your neck.” Joseph seemed to be enthralled with the contents of the box, and Carol forged on. “Now that you have your own, do you think I could have mine back?”

Jack watched as Joseph looked up into Carol’s face, then nodded as he opened up his clenched fingers to relinquish his prize. Carol’s smile grew wider and she gingerly took her necklace out of his hand, while Joseph stared at the one in the box. He then tried to get the necklace out of the box, but was having such a difficult time that Jack had to intervene.

“Mine,” Joseph declared, when the crucifix was firmly clenched in his fist. Jack nodded at him, pleased to hear Joseph say something other than “Jack”. The kid had kept his silence even after the threats to his life were terminated. It was unfortunate that Joseph was too young to understand that he didn’t have to be afraid to speak up.

Apparently, Jack wasn’t the only one who was pleased. He looked up when he heard a sniffle then realized that all three women were standing there with tears in their eyes and big goofy smiles. Oh for crying out loud, he thought, with a shake of his head. Even strong warrior-woman Carter was affected by whatever possessed the other two. “Carter?”

Carter immediately straightened her shoulders and tried to look professional, then shrugged and said, “It’s just that he’s so… you know.” Jack shook his head, telling her that he didn’t know, and in her embarrassment, she opted for the easy way out. “They started it.”

“That’s my cue to leave,” Carol said, as she turned toward the door. She sidestepped Doc Fraiser who walked in just at that moment.

“What did I miss?”

“Not a whole lot, Doc,” Jack responded as he tried to stand. He was still in a lot of pain, which meant that Joseph was going to have to get up first, but they finally succeeded in getting off the bed. Jack was anxious to leave in case the Doc decided more tests were necessary. “The kid and I were just leaving.”

The Doc immediately set her sights on Joseph, who moved closer to Jack. She was not to be deterred though, and she smiled at him as she asked. “Does your arm still hurt?”

Joseph just stared at her, reminding Jack that the kid was a long way from learning to trust others. But Jack had faith in this little boy and he knew the kid was going to be okay. They just needed to find the right people to be his parents.

“He’s fine Doc. He told me so himself, didn’t you big guy?” Joseph nodded his head, while the Doc gave Jack a skeptical look.

“Teaching him bad habits already?” she asked, and Jack couldn’t help but feel guilty at her comment.

“It wasn’t intentional, I swear.”

She glared at him for a moment, then apparently decided to let it drop. Jack took advantage of the opportunity, and took off for the door, Joseph right behind him. “If there are any problems, let me know,” the Doc called after them.

Jack didn’t bother with a response. He just strode out the door making it almost to the elevator before he heard Carter yell for him to wait.

“I was hoping that you would come up to my lab so that we could talk,” she said, when she caught up with them.

“Talk?” Panic set in, as he worried about what she wanted to talk about. He had explained his position with Daniel, and even though he knew Carter would understand, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to explain it clearly enough for her. And there was always the chance he would explain more than he intended. He couldn’t afford to let her know how he felt about her.

“Yes sir. I need some equipment to test a naquadah-powered laser and I wanted to go over it with you before I take the request to General Hammond.”

“Oh,” Jack said, relief flooding through him like a waterfall. “Sure. But I did promise this guy a tour of the base before we have to go visit with McKenzie. Can we do it later?”

She shrugged and anger boiled up in Jack’s heart. Don’t give me the disappointed look, Carter, he raged inwardly. He was already feeling bad about how he treated her on that planet. Now he had this to deal with. But Carter couldn’t hide it. “Of course sir,” she said, her face showing her resignation. “Have fun.”

“We will,” Jack responded, determined not to give in to his guilt. “I’ll be by later today.”

She nodded and turned to walk back down the hallway, leaving Jack standing there wishing he could make things easier for them. He knew how important her machines were to her, but he also knew he wasn’t ready to deal with his emotions. Using Joseph as a stall tactic was easier than facing a lecture on the benefits of using naquadah enhanced lasers, and how the needed equipment was going to save the money and time, and all kinds of other things. No, it was better to go into enemy territory, also known as Carter’s lab, with a well-thought out strategy and full armor.

“So what do you say, kid? Ice cream in the commissary or basketball in the gym?” Joseph’s face lit up and Jack grinned back at him. “Okay. Ice cream it is.”


	20. Epilogue

The sun was high in the sky when Samantha Carter got out of her car and walked up the sidewalk to her porch. She wasn’t surprised to see Colonel O’Neill standing on her doorstep, waiting on her. In fact, she was almost glad that he was there. They hadn’t really talked about the events of the day before, which had been one of the worst days of Sam’s life. Her friend and confidant, Daniel Jackson, had died, or to be precise, ascended to a higher level of being, leaving Sam alone and grief-stricken. She and Teal’c had discussed their grief, but Colonel O’Neill had taken his normal route and became distant and defensive. Still, she expected him to come through for her to help her deal with her grief, just as he always had in the past.

She walked up to the door, smiling slightly when she stopped to face the Colonel. He smiled back, then shrugged his shoulders in an awkward attempt to put aside the unusualness of his visit. “How are you doing, Carter?”

“Okay,” she responded, not really sure what she could reveal to this man. She and Daniel shared a close bond, one that was only strengthened when they had been forced to become intimate in Reymes kingdom. And although the Colonel had put his anger behind him, Sam still worried that he may harbor a lingering emotion, even now, a year later. They stood there on her porch in an awkward silence until Sam remembered her manners. “You want some coffee?”

“Yeah. Sure.”

She smiled at him, before tackling the lock on her door, then led the way to her kitchen. “I think I may have some beer in the fridge somewhere,” she told him, suddenly nervous about the whole situation. Maybe he was here for some other reason entirely. Just because he showed up today, of all days, didn’t necessarily mean he was here to comfort her. That thought had her fidgeting. She squirmed under his gaze, then went over to the refrigerator to hide her nervousness.

Apparently, he saw through it anyway. “I’m not here to condemn you, Carter,” he told her. She stopped dead at those words, staring into the vastness of her refrigerator, and fighting back the tears that welled up in her eyes. Even though her father had tried to convince her that her inexperience with the Goa’uld hand device probably had nothing to do with Daniel’s death, Sam knew that she hadn’t helped him.

She swiped at the tears, then turned to face her commanding officer, wondering if he really knew the depth of her guilt and her sorrow. She nodded at him, as she handed him the bottle, then said, “My dad tells me that my strength as a Tok’ra is nowhere near as strong as Selmak’s and I have no business thinking that I may have made things worse.”

The Colonel nodded vigorously at that, then raised his bottle as if making a toast. “I’ve always said your old man was a smart one.”

Sam had to smile at those words. The Colonel had also said a great deal of other things about Selmak, some that didn’t bear repeating. “Yeah, I remember,” she said. They stood there in silence for a few moments, while Sam wondered what had really brought this man to her doorstep.

The Colonel finally decided to break the silence. “I was hoping that you wouldn’t condemn me, either.”

Sam couldn’t help it. She just stared back at the man in shock. She had blamed him at first for stopping her father, but even she knew that Daniel was better off without the agonizing pain of radiation poisoning. Tears welled up again, as she dwelled on her loss and her traitorous thoughts. She wanted to hate the man standing in front of her, but she could only think of the times that he and Daniel got along, as well as the fact that the Colonel had bucked the higher ups in his efforts to clear Daniel’s name. She knew that he would not have let Daniel go if he could have saved him.

“Look, maybe I should just go,” the Colonel spoke up, obviously taking her silence as anger. But Sam couldn’t let him leave like this.

“No. No, please stay.” He stopped his movements, staring at her with a hopeful expression. “I don’t blame you, sir,” she went on to say. “I know you wouldn’t deliberately do anything to destroy Daniel.” She stopped at that choice of words, then tried again. “He always wanted to do something more with his life – to help others.” The Colonel nodded, and Sam continued on, as the tears she could no longer stop flowed down her cheeks. “I would have told him that ascending was not the answer, but he didn’t come to me. He chose you.” O’Neill shrugged, but kept his silence, as Sam told him what had made her realize the extent of the friendship Daniel and O’Neill shared. “He came to you because he knew you would understand.”

And that was the crux of the whole matter, Sam thought, as she let the Colonel pull her into a hug. No matter the arguments and the anger Daniel and O’Neill shared, they still remained friends. Even after they had returned from Reymes’ kingdom with a nearly shattered friendship base, the two men had come to terms with each other and had moved on with their close friendship. Daniel had known that Jack would be the one who would understand why he wanted to ascend, and he had been right.

She hugged Colonel O’Neill back, holding him close as she cried into his jacket. They had never talked out their own relationship after that mission, choosing instead to move back into familiar territory. She knew why the Colonel had become determined to put his feelings aside, Daniel had told her of that conversation. And as much as Sam wanted more, she knew that the Colonel was right. They were all better off if personal feelings were shelved permanently.

Still, she missed her friend. “He’s gone,” she said through her tears, voicing her feelings on her current heartache.

“I know. I’m sorry.”

“I can’t believe that he would do something so stupid,” she raged, her grief turning into anger. It didn’t stop her tears though, and she tried to pull back to keep from taking her anger out on the Colonel. He wouldn’t let her. He held her even tighter and brought his hand up to thread his fingers through her hair, as he softly rubbed her scalp with the pads of his fingers. Sam gave up the struggle and let him hold her, even as she continued to rage. “He shouldn’t have gone into that lab in the first place, damn him!”

“He knew what he was getting into, Sam,” the Colonel soothed. Sam knew he was right, but she still wanted to kick something. “I don’t think he would have had it any other way. He was always doing stuff like that.”

“I know,” Sam responded. She had gone back to hugging the Colonel again, loving the feel of his arms around her. He still had his fingers in her hair, but he had also put his face down into the crook of her neck, whispering to her, as they stood there in her kitchen. She closed her eyes when his breath wafted over the skin of her throat, whispering words that told her everything was going to be all right. She wanted to believe him, but she knew that the loss of her best friend was going to be hard to get over.

He continued to hold her and it didn’t take long before he had stopped whispering and was now brushing his lips over her skin. Sam got lost in the sensations he was creating, while the thought of regulations crept up from the back of her mind. They shouldn’t be doing this, but it felt so good that she didn’t think she was strong enough to put a stop to it.

The Colonel then raised his head and stared into her eyes, while Sam mourned the loss of his closeness. She pulled a tissue out of her pocket and wiped her nose, as she stared back, wishing she had the nerve to kiss him, to feel his lips on her own, just as she had when they had stolen a few quiet moments back on that ice planet.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, while Sam wondered if he was still apologizing for Daniel’s death, or for not kissing her. More tears spilled out as she nodded her head in understanding. He always had been the strong one.

But he kissed her anyway. He moved back in and placed his hand on her cheek, staring into her eyes for a moment before giving into his desires. His lips were warm and soft, sending a thrill of desire through her. She returned the kiss, knowing it was wrong, but unable to put a stop to it. Maybe this is what she needed, she thought, as she turned up the passion. She needed someone warm and alive to hold her, to make her forget. But the Colonel proved once again that he wouldn’t step all the way across that line. He broke the kiss and smiled sadly at her, as he pulled back from her embrace.

An unreasonable anger raced through Sam as she watched him step back from her. He was backing off again, pulling back from a forbidden relationship, leaving her alone and wanting more. She looked away, fighting past the anger to try to hide it. The regulations were clear and she had no right to want more.

“Daniel once asked me what I would do if I was transferred out the next day,” he said, as his fingers lingered on her arm. Sam knew the answer. Daniel had wasted no time in telling her about that conversation. But she waited for the Colonel to say it. He stared at her a moment longer, then said, “He was worried that I would hate you because of that time you and he… well, you know.”

Yeah, she knew exactly what he was talking about. Sam still remembered Daniel’s hands as they soothed away the awkwardness when they had made love. He had done his best to make sure she wouldn’t get hurt, just as he had done for as long as she had known him. More tears flowed as she wondered, once again, what she would do without her best friend.

The Colonel seemed to lose his nerve, as he dropped his hand, and looked toward the door. “Maybe I should go…”

“No,” Sam said, determination moving in. A whole year of not talking about it was long enough. “We need to talk about this, Colonel. Get it out in the open.” He looked a little nervous, but Sam didn’t give him time to protest. She needed to hear him say it. “Daniel and I were friends. Nothing else.”

“I know,” he told her, as he nodded his head. “I had figured that out a long time ago.” He grinned at her outraged sputter, but apparently felt he should tell her all of it. “It’s just that there were a few times when I wondered if maybe...” He stopped that thought, then went back to staring into her eyes. “We were good together, Sam. Back there in Administrator Caldwell’s basement.” Sam nodded in agreement, memories of those days on that ice planet flashing through her mind. “Being with you felt real,” he continued, “Like we were supposed to be together.” He stared at her for a moment, before telling her, “Then our memories came back.”

Sam turned away from his gaze, fighting back the tears that just would not stop. She remembered all too well the pain of losing Jonah. She took a deep breath and turned back to look into her commanding officer’s face, determined to face her heartache head on. She had given him up then, she could do it again.

“I don’t blame you for sleeping with Daniel a couple months later,” he continued. “You didn’t have a choice. I know that now, and I knew it then.” He gave her a sheepish grin, then added, “I am a little pissed that I made it so hard for you, though.” Sam tried to think of a response to that, but could only nod at him as she waited for him to finish his spiel. It was rare that he talked this much, and she didn’t want to stop him while he was on a roll. But he had apparently run out of steam, because he stood there watching her, waiting for something.

“You were jealous,” she said, immediately coming to his defense.

A flash of anger stole across his features, but he quickly pushed it aside and told her, “I made my peace with Daniel right after we came back to Earth. But I couldn’t talk to you about it, and I…” He looked away for a moment, visibly trying to find the words he needed. He had such a hard time talking about himself that Sam wanted to tell him to forget it. She wasn’t so selfish that she had to push him to tell her everything. But the Colonel was apparently on a mission, and she watched as his determination won out. “I want you to know that no matter what, you did the right thing.”

Sam stared at him, not quite comprehending what he was telling her. “The right thing,” she said, confusion and anger settling in. She had half expected him to admit to some feelings for her, based on how he had started the conversation. But now he was telling her that she had done the right thing? “Thanks for the vote of confidence, Colonel,” she said, anger slipping out in her voice despite her efforts to contain it. A worried expression crossed his features, while Sam made a huge effort to chase away her rage. “Daniel and I didn’t have a choice.”

“I know Carter. I didn’t mean to say that you did.” He stopped for a moment, then sighed. “I screwed up again, didn’t I?” She shook her head, but he didn’t seem to notice. “What I’m trying to say, in my oh so eloquent way,” he added, while Sam smiled at his sarcasm, “Is that I’m sorry it has taken me so long to get up the nerve to do this… to talk to you.”

“You’re here now,” she told him, hoping to push him to finish what he’d started.

He stared down at the floor for a moment, then looked up at her to say, “The regulations are clear and we have a job to do. The best we can hope for is friendship between the two of us. Nothing more.” Sam nodded in agreement, knowing he was right. He reached over to caress her cheek, then said, “But I want you to know that I have no regrets, Sam. No matter what, I’m glad that we had those few moments together.”

“Me too,” she said, as she gave him a shaky smile, knowing that it had taken a lot for him to admit that to her. It was because of this that his words meant more to her than he would ever imagine.

“Which means I have got to keep my hands off of you,” he told her with a grin. She grinned back at him, glad that he was leading them back into familiar territory. A friendly banter between the two of them was much easier on Sam’s heart than the emotional rollercoaster they had been on. She pulled another tissue out of her pocket to wipe her nose, while the Colonel said, “Pretty hard to do, considering.” He waggled his eyebrows at her and Sam had to laugh.

“Wouldn’t want to give the enemy any ammunition, now would we?” His smile disappeared at those words, his eyes boring into hers, and Sam wondered what he was thinking. She could only hope that her thoughtless words hadn’t screwed things up again.

“Daniel told you about that?” Sam could only nod, as she waited for him to work through her admission. He nodded back at her, then shrugged his shoulders as he said, “Good. I’m glad. It’ll save me from having to try to explain it, and then end up having you mad at me all over again.”

“I wouldn’t have gotten mad at you,” she hurried to tell him. She knew the reasons behind the regulations as well as he did.

“Well, just in case.” His smile had returned and Sam found she liked this version of the man standing in front of her. The playful joking and friendly teasing made her feel accepted and loved, even if it was the only kind of love she would ever get from this man. She could live with that.

“You going to be okay?” he asked, as he stared intently at her.

“Yeah,” she answered, her thoughts back on her loss. More tears welled up, and Sam sniffled as she tried to smile, before saying, “Then again, maybe not.” She swiped at her nose, then gave the Colonel a watery smile, as she told him, “I will be. I just need a little more time, that’s all.”

“Take all the time you need, Carter. Just as long as you show up tomorrow to run interference for me.” Confusion took over as she stared at the man standing in front of her. He grinned at her again, then said, “I’ve been trying to avoid that Jonas guy, but every time I turn around he’s right there.”

“He seems nice enough,” she told him. “I think he’s just bored and may not really know what he can and can’t do.” O’Neill grimaced at those words, and she gave in. “Okay. I’ll do what I can.”

“That’s the spirit, Carter. I knew I could count on you.” His enthusiasm was contagious and she smiled broadly at him, glad that he was there for her. She hadn’t realized how much she had needed him to comfort her until that moment. She hoped he would always be there for her in the future.

Somehow she knew he would.

“I’m heading over to visit Joey,” he told her. “You want to come with?”

Sam smiled as she thought about the little boy who had stolen a certain Colonel’s heart. The child had successfully integrated into a new family, but he still clung to O’Neill every time they were together, which happened as often as the Colonel could find the time. Sam shook her head, as she smiled at him. “I’m going to hang out here for awhile. You know, to work things out for myself.” He frowned at her, but Sam knew that her sadness would only ruin their day, so she grinned at him, as she said, “Go on. Have fun. And give that little guy a hug from me.”

“If you’re sure,” he said, his face clearly showing his doubt.

“I’m sure. I’ll be fine, I promise.”

“Okay, if you insist.” Sam nodded, then followed the Colonel to the door. He stopped when he got to it, and turned to her as he said, “Remember. Interference.”

“I’ll be there,” she responded with a laugh.

“Good.” He left her then, and she watched him as he walked over to his truck. She would help him tomorrow, and the next day and the next, always being the perfect accomplice to his schemes and his plans. She owed him much more than life. He got into the truck and pulled away from the curb, leaving her to her sadness and pain. Daniel was gone, but the Colonel was still with her and Sam smiled through her sadness as she realized that he always had been. And more importantly, she knew he always would be.

Always.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Jack pulled up to the house where Joseph lived and turned off the engine. He sat there for a few minutes, gathering up the strength he needed to be a “big brother” to the little boy he had come to adore. The kid was still too young to understand the kind of sadness Jack was carrying around with him, and Jack didn’t want to ruin this day for his little friend. So he took a few deep breaths then got out, a small smile pasted on his features to let everyone know that he was okay.

But he really wasn’t okay. Daniel’s “death” had hit him hard, having lost a close friend through a tragic mistake. A mistake that could have been prevented, and it still ranked that Daniel was blamed for the entire mess. Daniel had paid dearly for helping them out and all he got in exchange were suspicions and false accusations that had nearly destroyed the relations between the Kelowans and the Tau’ri.

He pushed aside the dark thoughts that were milling around in his head, and tried once more to focus on happy thoughts. Joseph didn’t need to know about the sadness Jack was dealing with, nor did he need to know the fate of his friend, Daniel, at least not yet. It had been agreed upon by all the adults involved in Joseph’s life that the boy would find out by his new parents, when they were ready to tell him and not before. Jack was all for that. He had come to love that kid dearly, but he would much rather be long gone from that scene when it came about.

A huge smile graced his features when the door of the house opened and a woman waddled out to greet Jack. She was huge, being that she was eight months pregnant, and Jack picked up his pace to keep her from taking the few steps down the porch to meet with him. “Uh, uh,” he told her, when she started to protest. “All I need is for you to fall on that tricycle over there, and your husband will have my hide.” She shook her head and smiled at him, as they both knew her husband wouldn’t do anything more than growl at Jack, before tacking on a respectful, “Sir” to the scolding. Jack never did understand what Joseph saw in Master Sergeant Siler, but then again, he never fully understood why the kid had attached himself firmly to a certain Colonel O’Neill either. Carter, Daniel and even Teal’c had enjoyed every minute of Jack’s shock when he had learned of Joseph’s clinginess to Siler whenever Jack was not around. All three of them made sure to point out every similarity they could find, including the similarities in their height and build until Jack finally stopped them with the words, “Yeah, but the man likes working with machines!”

“He likes working with guns and watching the Simpsons, too,” Daniel had felt it prudent to point out. “And besides, it looks like Joseph has made his choice. I think it would be best if we just let him live where he’ll feel safe, and since you’re not able to provide him a home, Siler is the best option.”

Jack had agreed at the time, and as he hugged the woman who had decided to take Joseph into her heart and home, he knew he had made the right choice. Siler and his bride of only two years had turned out to be great parents for a scared little boy.

“Whoa there,” he said, as he stepped back from the hug. “That little one sure packs a punch!”

Amy Siler smiled at Jack, then rubbed her hand over her swollen belly. “She’s getting in as much practice as she can for when the time comes to play with her father and big brother. Those two can play hard.” Jack grinned at her, even as he knew that Siler wouldn’t hurt a fly – probably end up in the infirmary on his own merits, but still he’d be the one to get hurt, not one of the kids. Amy‘s smile dimmed, as she looked into Jack’s eyes, scanning for the pain that Jack was doing his best to hide. “How are you doing?”

“I’m fine,” he insisted, not willing to let her pull out the pain once again. “It’s a big loss, but we’re dealing with it.”

She didn’t seem to be convinced, but she also seemed to know when to back down. “You need anything, you let me know. Promise?”

“I promise,” he responded with a nod and a small smile. “Where’s Joseph?” Usually the kid would have been jumping all over him by this time. Jack stared out at the yard full of toys, and once again realized how lucky that kid was.

“He went with his father to go get some hotdogs and burgers for a cookout we’re planning for later on. We thought we’d make the day really special before we tell him about Daniel.” The fire that had lit up in her eyes as she thought about her son, dimmed as she remembered the sadness they were all dealing with. “I just can’t believe he’s gone,” she said, as tears welled up in her eyes.

Jack led her over to a chair on the porch, then sat down next to her, hoping to give her a few minutes to compose herself. He looked out over the yard once again, wishing things could have been different. “He’s in a better place,” he told the woman sitting next to him on the porch. She nodded, and gave him a small apologetic grin.

“I’m sorry. I was determined that I wouldn’t do this while you were here, and I did it anyway. It’s the hormones,” she insisted with a watery smile.

“Hormones. Uh huh.” He grinned at her, before looking away for a moment, reflecting on another pregnant woman, and how much he missed his old family. He shook off the pending gloom by turning to ask, “How’s the kid doing? Still having nightmares?”

“None for awhile now,” Amy told him, as she ran her hand over her abdomen again. “He never remembers the dream once he wakes up, which is a good thing if you ask me.” Jack nodded in agreement as Amy continued, “The doctor tells us that because Joseph was so young when he’d had that horrible experience, ‘whatever it was’,” the last words were said with heat, which brought on a guilty grimace to Jack’s face, “The memories of the experience will probably fade away until he forgets it even happened.” She sighed, as she looked out over her yard. “We may never know what happened to him before you found him, which could be a good thing, I suppose.”

“Yeah,” Jack said, noncommittally. He knew from experience that repressed memories could sometimes be a Godsend, but then again, they sometimes came out when you least expected them, creating havoc and pain until they were finally dealt with. And this could be difficult in Joseph’s case, because he was too young to understand that he was born on a different planet and that technically he was an alien being. As far as Joseph, Amy and just about everybody else they were acquainted with knew, he was found during a mission and brought back to Cheyenne Mountain for his own protection. If the memories ever surfaced, Joseph was going to have a hard time equating the memories with what he knew of life on Earth. Jack just hoped there’d be someone around who would help him through it if the time ever came.

“It would help the doctor a lot if you would give her more details on Joey’s life, well at least what you know of it,” Amy said. “He wouldn’t say more than two words for the longest time, and he still won’t talk about anything prior to when he came to us.” Jack squirmed in his chair, looking out toward the yard to hide his unease. She tried this every single time, and he figured that he should be used to it by now. If it were anybody else, he’d sit there with a poker face and give her the old, ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about’ routine. But he had a kinship with Amy, brought on by their mutual love for a little boy that had chipped away at the shell Jack had erected around his heart, and it was hard to sit there and lie to her. He had no choice, he knew, but he still resented being put into that position.

“Jack?” She was practically begging, but Jack knew the rules. The child psychologist MacKenzie had found for Joseph was not given full classification status. MacKenzie was in agreement with the child psychologist that Joseph would more than likely just forget the whole thing ever happened. Besides, any talk of living on an alien planet and traveling through space through a stone ring would most likely be put off to a child’s imagination. And since Joseph wouldn’t even tell Jack what Bransen had done, and everyone knew that Jack was the only person Joseph would talk to at all for the longest time, MacKenzie had made the recommendation.

So now Jack was between a rock and a hard place. He was forced to tell more lies, or at the least, partial truths. “I’ve already told you guys everything I know,” he insisted. “He had witnessed a crime, and was threatened by the man responsible for the crime that he would kill him if he talked. That guy is still running free and the people of the village couldn’t provide enough protection for the kid, so we brought him here.” It was as close to the truth as he could get, but still he felt bad.

Amy sighed deeply, apparently resigned to the fact that Jack wasn’t going to cooperate. “Do you think the crime Joseph witnessed was his parents’ death?”

“I don’t know,” Jack said, even though he was fairly certain Bransen was not involved in that. Elda had told him that Joseph was brought to Reymes’ kingdom by three men who had left him there once they were paid. She would have told him if Bransen had been one of those men. “Joseph won’t even tell me about it.” Amy looked so sad, that Jack just had to say, “He’s going to be fine, Amy. I promise.” She smiled at his encouragement, but he could see she was still worried. “He’s already moved past all that, he’s healthy and he’s happy. What more is there to life?”

“You’re right,” she said, as she swiped away a tear. “I guess I just worry about him.”

“Nothing wrong with that,” Jack told her, with a grin. A car turned into the driveway just then, and Jack smiled broadly at the little guy in the back seat who was practically jumping with excitement.

“He loves you to pieces, you know,” Amy said. Jack shrugged at that, but Amy kept on talking. “And it’s obvious you care deeply for him, as well. If it weren’t for the fact that I love him just as much and wouldn’t give him up for the world right now, I know he would be just as happy living with you.”

“I couldn’t give him the two parent household that he needed,” Jack rushed on to say. He didn’t need this right now. “Not to mention that I’m gone for days at a time, sometimes weeks…” He stopped, when he saw that she was grinning at him, and he smiled back, turning back just in time to catch the kid who came flying up the steps to throw himself into Jack’s arms. Jack hugged him tightly, marveling at how big that kid had grown in just a year’s time. It seemed like every time he saw him, Joseph had grown an inch or two. “Hey there, big guy,” he said, “How are you?” Joseph pulled back to show Jack the toy airplane that he had in his hand, and Jack knew the routine. “Nice!” he praised, while Joseph beamed.

“It’s an F-16,” Joseph told him proudly, his grey eyes shining with excitement. “Dad got it for me.”

“Way too cool,” Jack told him, while Siler shrugged his shoulders.

“He saw it and immediately thought of you and that time you took him to see a real one up close,” Siler said defensively. “He just had to have it.”

Jack grinned back at him, knowing all too well how hard it was to say no to the kid. His smile dimmed slightly as he remembered Charlie’s excitement when Jack had brought home the same toy. Charlie had loved that airplane, and had kept it on his dresser when he wasn’t playing with it. Jack found himself wondering if Sara still had it. Amy, on the other hand still felt it was her obligation to say something. “You spoil him, Sly,” she scolded, although Jack knew she really didn’t mind. She was smiling at her husband affectionately, while Siler tried one more time to justify the purchase.

“It’s just a toy,” he insisted, as he grinned at Joseph. “And besides, it was either that or a Bart Simpson doll.” Amy rolled her eyes and shook her head, which prompted an indignant snort from Jack. Siler then turned to Jack, to say, “I’m glad that you were able to make it today, sir. Joey’s been looking forward to this visit all week.”

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Jack told him. “We’ve got big plans, don’t we Joey?”

“Yep,” Joseph said, as he flew the airplane around and around with his hand. “Can I take my plane with me?”

“I was hoping you’d want to,” Jack said with a grin. “Will you let me play with it?” He snatched at it, but Joseph pulled it away, then laughed at Jack’s expression, who immediately pretended to try to grab the toy again, enjoying the laughter that was absent during their internment in Reymes’ kingdom. Jack was a firm believer that all children should know the sound of their own laughter.

They played their little game for a few minutes, before Amy spoke up. “Okay you two,” she said with a mock scowl. “Stop before one of you gets hurt.”

“Yes ma’am,” Jack said, as he gave Joseph a guilty smile, then pushed him off his lap and told him, “Why don’t you go get your jacket so that we can get going?” Joseph took off like a shot, running into the house to get things moving, while Jack grinned at the blur that seemed to be way too anxious to get going.

He looked over at Siler and his wife, watching as they looked at each other anxiously. Okay, here it comes, Jack thought. “Before you go, I did want to tell you that it’s official,” Amy said, her words causing Jack’s smile to dim. “You will be given full guardianship over Joseph if anything were to happen to Sly and myself.” Jack nodded, having been expecting this ever since they had discussed this option. While it was highly doubtful that anything would happen to both of them, they still wanted to make arrangements ahead of time, just in case. Jack was just worried about becoming a father again. Images of Charlie and his own toy airplane flashed through his mind, threatening to drown him in his grief. Jack made a huge effort in chasing away the sadness, and smiled sadly at the people who had taken Joseph in.

“You are the best person for the job sir,” Siler spoke up, his eyes seeming to be sympathetic to Jack’s thoughts. “But don’t worry. Nothing is going to happen to Amy. I won’t let it.”

“Well that’s encouraging,” Amy said dryly. She shook her head at her husband, who just grinned back at her, then turned to Jack. “Be ready to stay for dinner, Jack. We’re going to have a little picnic and Joseph would love to have you stay a little longer.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” Jack said, his grin back in place. Joseph came barreling out the door at that moment, and Jack turned to follow him down the steps and out to his truck, ready and willing to go have some fun and hopefully to temporarily forget about the anger and the pain that came from the loss of his best friend. At least he had mended his fences with Carter, he thought, as he got Joseph situated in the booster seat. He had let that go way to long, and it felt good to finally have that talk. He had done it for Daniel, who had wanted him to work out his problems with Carter a long time ago, and Jack figured it would be a tribute to his late friend. Better late than never, he thought, as he smiled at the little boy who was once again showing him his airplane.

Life goes on, he realized as he got into the driver’s seat of his truck. Joseph had adjusted well to his new life and his new family. Daniel had moved on to become a glowy being. And Jack had survived everything to be there for both of them when they needed him the most.

Life goes on and Jack was ready to follow it along.

 

 **The End**   
(Next chapter is a deleted scene)


	21. Deleted Scene

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This scene was originally set at the very beginning of Chapter 20, but could just as easily be set at the end of Chapter 19. Doesn't really matter at this point though, because it never would have happened, and it's now officially a deleted scene. I took it out of the story because I got to thinking that Sam and Daniel would most definitely omit the fact that they were forced to have a sexual relationship while on a mission because said relationship really had no affect on the mission at all, even if it was the main focus of the story. I just couldn't see them telling Hammond, the President and everyone else who reads those reports that she and Daniel had become intimate.
> 
> Even though I've taken it out of the "official" story, I am presenting it here for anyone who may be interested. After all, it really is a fun scene!

Thirty years of serving with, and commanding Air Force personnel, gave General George Hammond an edge when it came to weeding out the occasional bull crap that his subordinates threw at him. Hell, he had been known to “bend” the rules himself when he was younger. But it was his job to wade through the bull and find out the truth, to make sure that all aspects of a situation were covered to avoid any complications.

Still, there were times when he was faced with a situation that demanded his expertise in handling said bull crap, and he steeled himself to face his current position. The amount of crap he was wading through right then made him wish he had thought to bring a shovel in order to brain the man sitting across from him. SG-1 had returned from a mission pretty much the worse for wear and with a story that reeked of suspicions, half-truths and out right lies. But until he got the full story, he was stuck between a rock and a hard place when it came to dealing with the possible pitfalls they all would face.

George was no fool, he knew that there was a very good possibility that he would never hear the full story, but he owed it to himself and his superiors to at least try. With that thought in mind, he sat forward in his chair and clasped his hands together, while staring straight into the eyes of Colonel Jack O’Neill. “I want the truth, Colonel,” he said, as he leveled his gaze on the man. “And don’t hand me any of that bull that you and your team were trying to feed me during your debriefing.”

To his credit, the Colonel managed to look chagrined before turning on his ‘charm’. “I’m not sure what it is you want me to say, General. We went to the planet, immediately got forced into slavery, Carter and Daniel had to… well, you know.” George had to smile at the Colonel’s leer, then remembered that he was supposed to be getting to the bottom of the whole mission. He lost the smile and glared at the man, as the Colonel continued, “Carter conned the ruler into letting her build a radio, and Teal’c was chosen to be a guard because he was big and scary.” He shrugged his shoulders, as he grinned cheekily and added, “Then Reynolds showed up and kicked ass and here we are.”

This was nothing new to George. They had all gone over the details of the mission, and the subsequent rescue during the team debriefings. No, George had other problems in mind. “Let’s talk relationships,” he said, as he picked up a report that was sitting on his desk. O’Neill squirmed in his seat, while George made a show of opening the report and looking through it. “Major Carter reported that she was physically assaulted by one of the guards and was forced to participate in a sexual relationship with Doctor Jackson.”

“Daniel and Carter didn’t have a choice sir,” O’Neill interrupted, which caused George to frown as he looked up at the man.

“I realize that Colonel,” he said, with a glare. “In fact, all four reports stress that very adamently. But the fact remains that they did participate in this…” he looked back at the report, then continued after finding the appropriate term, “Breeding project.” O’Neill nodded in agreement, but George knew that the man was still going to avoid the main subject at all cost, so he stepped up the pressure and asked point blank, “How is that going to affect you and your team, Colonel O’Neill?”

He had definitely hit a nerve, George thought, as he watched the man in front of him close down. It all happened in a matter of a few seconds. One second Jack O’Neill was sitting there actively thinking of a way to avoid the conversation, then the next second, George found himself facing down a man who knew how to keep his secrets and would defend those secrets with his life. George was usually glad to have this man and his Special Ops talents in his command, but sometimes those talents just got in the way. “Sir?” O’Neill asked warily, and George found himself wondering if there was more to this than his original suspicions.

Better to stick to one thing at a time, George thought, as he stared down the Colonel sitting across from him. “Major Carter and Daniel Jackson spent almost a week as lovers, and although they appear to have overcome their ordeal and remain friends, I have to determine if their relationship while enslaved will affect their performance out in the field and in future missions.”

“I have every bit of confidence in their abilities, sir,” O’Neill said stiffly. “In fact, Carter took over command when Reynolds and I were hit by that thought process thingy and Daniel was out in the middle of all that shooting. She didn’t lose it then, and I know for a fact she won’t in the future. She is one of the best out there.”

George nodded, knowing that was what he was going to hear, but he needed more. “What about Doctor Jackson?”

“Well sir,” O’Neill responded, as he looked down for a moment and squirmed a little in his chair. “Daniel can be a little… um… compassionate,” he continued, the Special Ops mask replaced by a grin. “He has no biases toward anyone. He will always be a problem.”

George couldn’t help the small chuckle that rumbled from his lips. From the moment Doctor Daniel Jackson had stepped through the Stargate and demanded to be allowed to go out to find his wife, the man had been a hindrance, as well as a tremendous asset to the Stargate program. “A problem you wouldn’t change for the world now would you son?”

“No sir.” The cocky grin turned into a sober look, as he added, “Every last member of my team are valuable assets, and if anything, that forced relationship strengthened the bond of friendship Daniel and Carter shared before we went there.” He shrugged then said, “This has made us stronger.”

This eased George’s mind considerably and was glad that he pushed for a resolution. “No possible complications?”

“No complications.” O’Neill stopped and seemed to think about it, then said, “Well, besides cocky Goa’uld, crooked politicians, and metallic little bugs,” this was said, as he wiggled his fingers in front of him to illustrate bugs, “No problems at all.”

“Well, that’s good,” George responded with a laugh. “I admit that I was a little worried.”

“Understandable sir.”

Standard military response, George thought, as he prepared for the next battle. He shifted through the folders on his desk and pulled out another one, composing his next words in his mind, as he did so. “We need to talk about the boy,” he said, as he looked up from his desk. The smile dropped from O’Neill’s face, and he sat forward as he went into attack mode.

“Joseph.”

“Joseph,” George acceded, realizing that he had already started out on the wrong foot on this subject. “He has permission to stay on this planet, provided a proper home is found for him to live out his life.”

“He’s a very well-mannered child,” O’Neill said, gearing up to have things go his way. It was clearly obvious to everybody and their brother that Jack O’Neill had taken a special interest in the child, much like he had with Cassandra Fraiser. Unfortunately, the feeling was strongly mutual, as O’Neill had a hard time separating himself from the child once he had been released from the infirmary. The boy pitched a fit every single time. George was well aware of the background between the man and the boy, and what had made the connection so strong, but he and O’Neill both agreed that the child would be better off placed with a family that was on a more stationary routine. George had come up with a reasonable placement, but he wasn’t sure how O’Neill would take it.

“Several people have offered to adopt him,” George began, hoping to soften the news a little. “Carol Ramsey from the infirmary has two children of her own, and she tells me that her belief in the Christian faith coincides with the beliefs that Joseph had grown up with.” O’Neill nodded, and started to speak, but George decided to give him all the options before hearing what the man had to say. “Captain Evans’ wife just lost a baby, and they are considering giving Joseph a home with them.” O’Neill frowned at that news, but George kept on going, “And then there’s…”

“Don’t say it!” The demand coming from a subordinate gave George pause, and he looked up in shock to face a contrite Colonel. “Sorry sir,” O‘Neill said, with a guilty smile. “I was just worried there for a minute that I was gonna end up owing Daniel and Teal’c some money.” The hopeful look he had on his face confused George even more.

“Colonel O’Neill,” he said, deciding to ask instead of trying to figure out what was going on. “Do you want to clue me in here?”

“Well sir,” he began, with a look that spoke volumes on what the man was feeling at the moment. “It’s just that Daniel keeps insisting that… you know.” George shook his head, and waited patiently to be told. O’Neill sighed then said, “Daniel has this idea that because the only other person Joseph hunts down when I’m unavailable is Siler, he thinks that Siler would make a great father for him. According to Daniel, the kid relates to me and Siler because we both must look like his father.” George smiled inwardly, thinking it was nice to have the upper hand again. Colonel O’Neill, on the other hand, was still on his indignant spiel. “I mean, look at him. Why would Joseph relate to Siler? He’s not like me at all, and he doesn’t even look like me.” He fumed for a moment, then waved his hand about in dismissal. “No matter what Daniel and Carter say, just because we are the same height and build, we’re not all that similar.”

George just sat there and grinned. It wasn’t every day he had something over on Colonel O’Neill.


End file.
